


Wheels of Fire

by Rhov



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Angst, Aphrodisiacs, Blow Jobs, Car Sex, Cat Fight, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Fingerfucking, Fluff, Jealousy, Lemon, Light Sadism, Loss of Virginity, Massage, Masturbation, Mirror Universe, Morning Kisses, Oral Sex, Road Trips, Sexual Content, Vaginal Fingering, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-09-02
Updated: 2015-03-11
Packaged: 2017-11-13 08:55:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 134,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/501714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhov/pseuds/Rhov
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a freak accident of technology and magic, Natsu is blasted into Edolas while Edo-Natsu is transported to Earthland. Now Fairy Tail must figure out how to get the two back. Lucy is put in charge of protecting timid Fireball Natsu and discovers his bashful side is "rather cute." Meanwhile, Natsu is having his own trouble with Lucy Ashley and the guild in Edolas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Timid Switch

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Serena Starling](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Serena+Starling).



> This story is now in Italian: [EFP Fanfic](http://www.efpfanfic.net/viewstory.php?sid=1682609)

 

  
_Used with permission from[Zippi44](http://fav.me/d5cxnp1)._

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

A battle between Team Natsu and the bandits of the Misty Hills raged through a deserted village, destroying abandoned buildings where the bandits had taken up shelter. Erza was busy with a katana wielder, Gray teamed up with Lucy to take on a dozen weaker enemies, while Natsu hurled himself headlong into a battle with the bandit leader. So far, it looked like it would be a quick mission without much serious trouble.

Natsu laughed wildly as the bandit leader swung at him with a massive baseball bat that could have knocked a full-grown cow out of a ballpark for a home run. "Too slow," the dragon slayer taunted. "Did you really defeat wizards from Twilight Ogre with swings like that? Then again, they're not much."

"Ack, you shtoopid wizards," the man sneered with a strong accent to his words. "I show you who eez not much. Runes Magic: Drain!"

Runes lit up under Natsu's feet. Although he felt his energy weaken slightly, it was not much. "Is that it? Sheesh, Freed's runes could have left me too tired to move for days and without any magic at all. This is boring. Mind if I finish it off fast so we can eat?"

"Don't be gettink cocky, leetle lizard," shouted the bandit. He pulled out a cannonball from a massive pack on his back, tossed it into the air, and hit it with the baseball bat. A crack like thunder made Lucy shriek, but Natsu easily leaped out of the way. The cannonball hit a building and leveled it.

"Those are getting annoying," Natsu frowned. "And you're scaring Lucy."

"You mean ze purty blondie gurly?" the bandit chuckled. "She looks tasty. Runes Magic: Gather." The runes grabbed hold of Lucy and yanked her backwards.

"Lucy!" Gray shouted, grabbing for her hand, but she was pulled away.

The bandit caught her and held her tightly in his arms. "Sorry fer gettink a leetle rough, gurly," he chuckled.

"You jerk, that hurt!" Lucy shouted. She struggled to get free, but the man's massive arms held her tightly.

"Mmm, you schmell goot," the man moaned. "After I keel zee rest of you, I tink mebbe I vill make dees purty gurly mah woman."

" _What?_ " Lucy shrieked.

"Let her go!" Natsu bellowed in outrage.

The man grinned hungrily at Lucy. "A strong gurly wizard like you vould give me nice sons."

He gave her cheek a long, drooling lick. Lucy cringed back and tried to shove herself away from him, but it was no use. She was completely powerless against his huge arms. She could not even reach her keys because her arms could not stretch around the girth of his tree-trunk-like limbs.

The flames on Natsu's body surged in fury. "You perverted scum. Don't you dare touch Lucy."

"Hoy?" he asked in amusement. "Iz dees doll precious to you? Iz she yur gurly-friend, mebbe?"

"Who'd want to date her?" snapped Natsu. Lucy huffed at such an insult. "She's my nakama, and no one messes with my friends."

"If she iz _just a friend_ , zen vhat do you care if I do dees?" He grabbed Lucy's breast. She gasped in shock, then screamed and pounded his hand as hard as she could. The bandit merely laughed at her vain attempts. "You iz cute vhen you iz angry, but doze teeny fists hurt a leetle. Runes Magic: Drain."

Suddenly, Lucy lost all strength. She was already tired from fighting, so she became limp in his arms.

"Much bettah. Drain vorks better on gurlies who iz angry. Ze angrier I make dem, ze more der power slips avay. Den I take my time vith dem." He chuckled as he gazed at Lucy's body and licked his lips.

Unable to move, Lucy turned her eyes toward the dragon slayer. "Natsu," she pleaded weakly.

"Bastard!" he yelled. "I said not to touch her."

"Hoy? You mean like dees?" The bandit grabbed her breast again. Lucy cringed, but she could not move. Natsu leaped at him, but the bandit waved into the air. "Runes Magic: Shield of Watching." Natsu's fist hit a barrier of glowing runes. "Dees lets you vatch ze whole ting. Jeest sit back und enjoy ze show." He laid Lucy on the grass and began to unbutton her shirt.

"No," she panted, straining to move but having no energy. "Stop it."

"Stop!" Natsu roared in fury.

Lucy's shirt was split apart and showed her lacy bra. She looked away, ashamed to have both this horrible man and Natsu see her in her underwear.

"Look at dat," the bandit chortled. "Dresses like a slut. Gurlies who vear clothes like dees vant to entice men. You ze type who spreads 'em fer anyone, no?"

"I'm not that type of girl at all," Lucy snapped.

"Oh? Iz you a virgin?" The bandit slid his hand up her thigh, and she yelled at the lewd touches. Then he licked her cheek again. "I like deflowerin' ze innocent maidens."

"Natsu," Lucy begged in desperation.

Flames leaped along the dragon slayer's skin. "Now I'm pissed. I'll break this damn wall down no matter what. Dragon Slayer's Secret Art. Crimson Lotus: Fire Dragon's Fist!"

Natsu leaped at the guy. His fist punched the runes that shielded them. They glowed and sparkled fiercely. Right above them, the sky darkened. Lucy looked up as the clouds turned black and began to swirl.

"What the...?"

There was a white flash. Lucy closed her eyes, but just then it seemed like Natsu broke through the runes barrier. Then...

"Owwie!"

Lucy was amazed to hear that cry come from Natsu. "Owwie?" she questioned.

He laid on the grass cradling his fist. "Owwwww! That hurt."

Lucy looked in surprise as Natsu shook out his hand. Then he began to suck on his knuckles. That was definitely not something Natsu would do.

"Vell vell, looks like you broke ze barrier. Guess you iz not all talk, leetle lizard," the bandit laughed.

Natsu looked up in confusion. "Little lizard? Sorry but...who are you? Oh, hi Lucy," he grinned and gave a quick wave. He looked from Lucy lying on the grass with her blouse spread open and her skirt shoved up high, then to the massive man with huge arms. "Uh...am I interrupting you two? Sorry."

"No! What the hell is wrong with you, Natsu?" she yelled.

"Huh?" Natsu looked back and forth again. "Then is this one of your friends? Is he joining the guild, too? I know you have weird initiations and sometimes you take the guys away and they come back all flushed and..."

"Natsu?" Lucy questioned, worried by the strange look in Natsu's face and disturbed by what he was saying.

The bandit laughed. "You iz an eediot, Salamander. You had yur chance. Now I iz gonna kill you und take yur gurlyfriend."

"Salamander?" Natsu asked in confusion. "Girlfriend? Whoa, Lucy, I...I didn't tell this guy we were boyfriend and girlfriend, I swear," he insisted, cowering down and covering his head. "Please don't hurt me too badly."

Lucy gawked at him. "What...? Wait...Edo-Natsu?" she questioned in disbelief.

The pink-haired man looked up. "Huh? Edo-Natsu? Why would you call me...? Oh wait. Wait a minute. Your hair! You're not Lucy Ashley, are you?"

The Celestial Spirit wizard felt her heart drop in disappointment. "Oh man, this is not good," she moaned. "Edo-Natsu, you need to get out of here. This guy will seriously kill you."

"Huh? He's an enemy? But you're dressed like that and...and...oh," he whispered, suddenly realizing what this situation was about. "You...you're trying to hurt Lucy." He jumped up to his feet and held his fists up, although his knees were shaking. "I...I can't let you hurt Lucy, even if it's Earthland's Lucy. I...I'll f-fight you."

"Oh God," Lucy groaned as her hand covered her face. "I told you to run, idiot. Get help."

"No," he said firmly. "I...I can't leave you. This guy will do horrible things to you. I...I can do this much."

The bandit rose off of Lucy. "I haff changed my mind. I vant some privacy vith dees leetle maiden." He tossed another cannonball into the air and smacked it with a monstrous crack of his baseball bat. Natsu cried out in shock as the ball hurled toward him.

"Lucyyyyy!" he wailed.

"Natsu, move!" Lucy yelled. Why didn't he dodge? Why didn't he leap out of the way? Why didn't he just blast the ball with fire? Was this really that whimpering, weak Edo-Natsu? That was when she realized that although the clothes were the same, the white scarf was missing. Instead, the pink-haired teen wore goggles on top of his head.

Just as she thought for certain that the boy would be pulverized, there was a flash of steel and the cannonball split in half. The two halves soared past Natsu, and only the edge of the ball struck his cheek, putting a small nick into his skin.

"Erza!" Lucy cheered.

"Waah! Knightwalker!" Edo-Natsu yelled, cowered back.

"So, you really are from Edolas," Erza realized as she strode forward. "I only heard a little, but I saw how you were reacting. Natsu is never that way."

"Aye," Happy said, flying forward. "Natsu is strong and fights anyone and never has to shout for Lucy to save him. It's always Lucy shouting for Natsu."

"Hey!" Lucy snapped.

"S-Sorry," Edo-Natsu muttered.

Erza attacked the bandit, and in less than a minute she had him completely subdued. Lucy slowly regained her strength, straightened out her clothes, and kept rubbing the disgusting feeling of the man's tongue off her cheek.

Gray glared at the nervous pinkie. "So, you're Edolas' Natsu? Do you have any clue how you got here, and where our Natsu is?"

"S-sorry, I don't know what happened," he admitted shyly, twisting his hands and staring at the ground. "One minute I was watching Levy building one of her new machines, the next minute I'm flying through the air and my fist hit something that glowed but felt like a brick wall."

"Lucy, you said there was a flash," Erza investigated.

The blonde nodded. "Yeah, the clouds went weird, then a flash just as Natsu was about to hit with one of his secret art attacks."

"Like Anima, except their bodies switched?" Gray wondered.

Erza stroked her chin as she thought over this dilemma. "If Edo-Levy was in the midst of some sort of experiment, it could be her invention had a power surge just as Natsu did his major attack and it hit the runes. It's no use guessing. Let's get these bandits to the village police, collect the reward, and head straight home. Master might have a better guess."

She began to stride forward, pulling a cart with the unconscious bandits lying inside. Gray and Happy followed her, and Lucy began to bring up the rear. Then she realized someone was missing. She looked back and saw the pink-haired boy sitting on a tree stump and gawking slack-jawed at the world around him.

"Hey, Edo-Natsu!"

He jolted a little. "Huh? Y-you mean me?"

"Yeah, hurry up. We can't leave you behind. We have to figure out how to switch you and our Natsu back. Besides, you're like a homeless puppy sitting around like that."

He laughed and ran up beside her. "Lucy tells me that all the time. I guess Earth-Lucy is a lot like my Lucy."

"Oh please, do _not_ compare me to that crazy woman," Lucy sighed.

In the nearby town, Natsu jumped at every sign of magic. Lucy quickly got annoyed that he kept grabbing her arm and whimpering. She volunteered to stay with the poor lost Edolas resident while Gray and Erza talked to the man who hired them, that way they did not leave a bad impression on the client. Lucy was ashamed to have anyone think Salamander Natsu was a scaredy cat.

"I can't believe I'm really in Earthland," the boy said in awe. "Oh, look, Earth-Lucy! What's that? That kid with the floating thing that looks like a huge butterfly. It's even flapping its wings."

"It's just some simple balloon magic."

"Wow!" he said with shining eyes. "Everything is magical here, huh?"

"No, not everything. Most people can't use magic. Only a small part of the population trains to become wizards."

"Is that so? Still, it's so neat. My world is still a bit lost without our magic. I mean, it was always in short supply, but now we don't have any at all. It's sort of depressing."

"Sorry," she frowned, seeing the wistfulness in his face.

"Huh?" he jolted. "Oh, no, no! I didn't mean to blame you. It was King Jellal who made that decision, and I guess it was the right thing to do so we'd stop fighting over lacrima supplies and hurting people of Earthland. Still," he sighed, gazing out at the street again, "I miss my four-wheeler."

Lucy pouted and patted his back. Then she wiped at her cheek again.

"You keep doing that," Edo-Natsu realized. "Is it itchy? Do you have a rash or something?"

"No, that jerk bandit licked my face. Now it feels gross and the feeling won't go away."

"Oh, I know!" Natsu pulled out a handkerchief, ran to a rain barrel, and dipped it into the water. Then he came back and gently wiped Lucy's face. Lucy tried to pull away, but he rubbed her cheek softly. "You just need to wash it off a bit." He gave her a blushing grin. "See, all better, right?"

Lucy's face turned pink with embarrassment. "Y-yeah. Thanks."

It was Natsu's face, but that smile was not Natsu-like at all. It was timid and looked...cute. Even the shine in his eyes was different. To the side, Happy covered his mouth and began to chuckle. Lucy shot a venomous glare down to him.

"Don't _even_ say it, stupid cat," she threatened.

Just then, Erza and Gray stepped out of the client's house. Gray handed Lucy her share of the reward money.

"I'll keep Natsu's share until he returns," Erza decided. "Let's get on the train. The sooner we get back to Magnolia, the better."

Natsu grabbed hold of Lucy's sleeve again. "Where's Magnolia, and what's a train?"

She sighed and shook her head. He might be cute in a timid sort of way, but he was annoying in a completely different way from her own Natsu. "Magnolia is the city where we live, and a train...it's a form of transportation."

His green eyes lit up. "Transportation? Really? Cool!"

"That clenches it," Lucy muttered. "He's definitely not our Natsu."

"Aye," Happy pouted.

Half an hour later, they were on a train heading back home. Gray was worn out from the fight and leaned against the window for a little nap. Erza sat back and looked contemplatively at this odd situation. Lucy pulled out a book to read. Happy sulked off somewhere. With his best friend gone and an imposture in his place, the Exceed was obviously depressed.

Edo-Natsu sat by the window and bounced in his seat. He was not timid anymore, but more like a little kid on holiday. "This is so cool! This is a train, huh? Does it run on magic too? What's its top speed? How many passengers does it hold? How many kilometers of track is there in Fiore? Do you think I could drive it for a little while? Pretty please!"

Lucy gave a long, weary sigh. "I miss the moans of motion sickness already."

* * *

**Later in Magnolia**

Makarov rubbed his briskly chin as he leaned in close to the pink-haired doppelgänger. Edo-Natsu cringed down a little. Was this tiny man really the guild master? He remembered his own Fairy Tail guild master before he was killed, and he was nothing like this weird old man.

"The physical similarities are astounding," Makarov admitted. "And you have no clue how you got here?"

"S-Sorry," Edo-Natsu whimpered. "I...I was just watching Levy. My Levy," he corrected as he glanced over to the blue-haired Earthland version. "She was trying to build something to do with teleportation."

Wendy looked up in surprise. "You mean like when you guys teleported the entire guild?"

"Yeah, exactly. Although we got a pardon from King Jellal, we quickly got in trouble again. We've been on the run, so Lucy—our Lucy—asked Levy to see if she could use science to invent a transporter."

"Using science?" Gray asked in concern.

Edo-Natsu grinned happily to Gray, thinking this was his best friend. The glaring eyes quickly told him that this was not his Gray. What was even odder was the lack of clothes. In fact, Gray had once again stripped completely naked, and Juvia looked ready to faint. She was practically drooling at Gray's feet, yet he ignored her. All these things acted as reminders that Natsu Dragion was in a dimension completely unlike his own.

"Yeah, it's sort of the new rage," Edo-Natsu explained. "The tech industry is booming, and new inventions are in stores every week. Edolas is gradually recovering what we lost, replacing magic with science, but it's a very slow process." He frowned deeply. "They still haven't figured out how to make my car run."

"Master," Freed called over. "I think Levy and I got the runes to work. They should break the veil separating our dimension from Edolas. However, we have no way of knowing just who might latch on to the signal. It could be someone in Fairy Tail, or an enemy, or it could even arrive halfway around the world."

"Let's try it," Makarov decided. "Whoever picks up our message won't be able to trace it, at least."

Freed and Levy had used a mix of runes and solid script to completely encircle a large communications lacrima. When they turned on the lacrima, the runes glowed, then flashed, first slowly, then faster. An intense light and whining pitch built up inside the barrier, growing brighter and getting louder, wavering, like two tonal pitches colliding together. Levy kept writing ENERGY into the air to power the device, but her pen hand was slowing down just as the lacrima's flashes of electricity sped faster.

"I can't keep up!" she shouted, her pen slashing through the air quickly. "Energy! Energy!"

Laxus sat in a corner of the guild with a mug of beer, watching all the activity with disinterest. However, when he saw Levy beginning to sweat from fast writing, he sighed, shook his head, and slowly rose to his feet. He plodded forward and tapped her none-too-gently on the head.

"I can handle this much," he said, and he placed his fingers up against Freed's runes. Lightning crackled down his arm and to his hand, filling the area inside the runes with immense energy.

"Oh Laxus!" Freed praised. "You really do care."

"No, but that flashing is giving me a headache, and that scaredy cat Natsu is getting on my nerves for some reason."

Edo-Natsu cringed down and whimpered.

Suddenly, the lacrima lit up in a solid beam of light. It projected right against the runes, and the face they saw surprised them. Hard eyes glared at them, and wild red hair gave the woman a fierce look.

"Knightwalker?" Erza asked out loud in amazement.

Edo-Natsu squeaked and hid behind Lucy. "Kn-Kn-Knightwalker! It's Erza Knightwalker! Oh please, anyone but her."

The redheaded soldier glared at them. "Scarlet? Was it you who made our monitor do that?"

"Did you figure it out yet?" came a voice from the side, and Knightwalker rose to attention. Another face leaned in, blue hair, a tattoo on his face, and a crown on his head.

"Jellal!" Gray gasped.

"Mystogan," Makarov muttered.

"Wah!" Edo-Natsu quivered, completely hiding his face in Lucy's blonde hair. "It's King Jellal! It's the king himself. Oh man, I'm in big trouble now, aren't I?"

Lucy tried to shove him away. "Hey, you're pulling my hair."

"Waaaaaah!" The pink-haired boy scrabbled backwards. "I'm sorry, Lucy! Please don't hurt me."

The regal looking man raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Master Makarov? Fairy Tail? How did you manage to contact us?"

"It's complicated," Makarov dismissed. "We have a problem. It seems we have your universe's Natsu here, and ours has gone missing. It happened during some experiment on your side. We were hoping Natsu Dragneel is in your dimension, and we want to find a way to switch them back."

Jellal focused over to the whimpered boy, and Edo-Natsu shrank down even lower. "Yes, that's definitely not Salamander. An experiment, you say?" he mused. "We got reports of blackouts all through the southern districts and suspected someone was doing illegal research again."

"Any help you can provide will be deeply appreciated," Makarov sighed. Edo-Natsu's whimpering was starting to annoy him.

"I owe you a lot, Fairy Tail of Earthland. Finding Natsu is the least I can do. However, if he's with the Fairy Tail dark guild, they're on the run again, and we've been having a lot of problems trying to catch them."

Knightwalker scoffed softly. "Catch them alive, at least. I could do it if..."

"Erza, not now," King Jellal scolded, and she stiffened at his words. "Since all the magic was stripped from Edolas, people have been experimenting with science to fill the void. We immediately had catastrophic results from desperate people. Entire cities were destroyed when mad scientists began pushing their limits and creating fatal chain reactions, both chemical and mechanical. To stop the deaths, I declared that all research must be overseen by a royal quality assurance inspector. I allow relative freedom to the inventors; I don't care what they make so long as their research is documented, no humans are used as test subjects, and none of the inventions pose a threat to peace. Fairy Tail is at the forefront of these scientific discoveries, yet they do so illegally and tend to cause a lot of trouble."

Edo-Natsu shouted out, "We were only inventing weapons to help defend ourselves." Then he hid behind Lucy again.

King Jellal frowned deeper. "Weapons, yes, but that was only one issue. The experiments from Fairy Tail resulted in numerous casualties. They've been focusing on wormhole theory, how to instantly transport from one location to another. I'm not sure how many people were vaporized as unwilling test subjects."

Edo-Natsu protested quietly, "Lucy said they were murderers about to be executed anyway." He was only brave enough to say this since he knew Knightwalker could not stab him. He was safely in another dimension, and he did not want this Fairy Tail to think Edolas' Fairy Tail were evil law breakers. "We...we got permission. The local police said it was okay for them to be used in the name of science. Besides, that only happened a few times. It's not like we kidnap people off the street and torture them like Twilight Ogre."

King Jellal went on, "During one wormhole experiment, half the guild vanished only to reappear seven years later and not a day older."

Makarov laughed tensely. "Ah...haha...yeah, sounds familiar."

"Those damn Fairies," Erza Knightwalker shouted in disgust. "Of all the crackpot inventors threatening our civilization, they're some of the worst offenders. They invented some sort of projectile weapon."

Edo-Natsu protested. "It was a gun, but uses explosive powder instead of lacrima. Levy built it as a belated wedding present for Bisca and Alzack...that is, before their divorce."

"What?" Bisca cried out, grabbing hold of Alzack's hand tightly. He hugged his wife to reassure her that she had nothing to fear. Edolas' Bisca and Alzack were opposites of themselves, after all.

"They mass produced these so-called guns," Knightwalker went on bitterly. "Then they sold the weapons to members of the Traia Underground, who then began terrorist attacks against citizens, leading to dozens of deaths."

"Lucy said she thought she could trust them," Edo-Natsu insisted. "Her friend Hibiki is part of their group, and those two used to date, so she thought she could trust him and his people. She didn't know he was with the mafia."

"Lucy Ashley and Hibiki dated?" Lucy cringed, shivering slightly at the idea.

Erza Knightwalker glared hatefully. "They're up to more trouble, I just know it," she insisted. "Why else are they so desperate to learn how to run away, how to disappear and reappear anywhere? Maybe they want to reappear inside a bank vault and disappear with all the money. Maybe Lucy Ashley and that mafia boss Hibiki have teamed up and are a couple again."

"No!" Edo-Natsu shouted, almost looking angry, which stunned Lucy and the others. "You can't blame Lucy for trusting Hibiki when you were once engaged to his boss, Ichiya."

Erza Scarlet spit out the strawberry cake she was eating and began to choke. "You...almost married...that man?"

"What of it?" Knightwalker sneered to Scarlet. "Ichiya was a dashing gentleman, good friends with some funny-looking Exceed with a similar name. I had no clue about his underworld dealings."

"Dashing?" Erza moaned, looking sicker than Natsu on a train.

"Under King Faust," Edo-Natsu explained, "we survived by escaping the people who hunted us. We suffered a lot. We lost precious friends. You can't expect us to instantly trust the same people who killed Master and so many others. Like I said, our experiments have only been to find ways to defend ourselves just in case Faust regains power, or if King Jellal decides to eradicate us once and for all, or if Knightwalker decides she wants to hunt Fairies again. Mister Hibiki...he...he knew we needed money, and he paid off our debts to Twilight Ogre for us. In thanks, Lucy gave him six of the guns Levy invented. It wasn't a stockpile, it was only six, and they were the only things we could spare to show our appreciation. Really, it wasn't Lucy teaming up with the mafia. We're not trying to cause anarchy. Lucy just believes in showing her appreciation. She acts tough, but...but she's a kind person deep down inside," he said with a faint blush.

Knightwalker began to list on her fingers. "Fairy Tail boldly breaks the rules. Their experiments are destructive. They nearly killed the quality assurance inspector we sent..."

"He tried to flirt with Lucy," Edo-Natsu said. "That was just her standard reaction to flirtation."

"They rarely keep documentation of anything..."

"Levy said it's all in her head and she can't be bothered to write it down. She hates writing!"

Levy McGarden was shocked to hear that about her alternative self.

"Their activities resulted in three cities being destroyed..."

"That...that was an accident, really." The pink-haired boy cringed slightly at trying to defend that one, although it made Lucy laugh. Edolas' Fairy Tail sounded very much like her own after all.

"...and they also experiment on humans."

"They were about to be executed anyway," Edo-Natsu protested. "They agreed to be test subjects because if it had worked, it would have meant freedom for them. Mostly we did experiments on each other, and we volunteered...usually," he ended meekly.

Knightwalker glared at him. "You're defending them, yet you're trapped in another dimension thanks to Fairy Tail's reckless experimentation and utter disregard to the people who claim to be their friends."

"Erza," King Jellal warned softly, then he faced the video recording. "Master Makarov, if I had to guess, Natsu Dragion was likely an unwitting test subject for wormhole transportation using trans-dimensional travel. Levy likely used him to test a new invention and just didn't tell him. Instead of sending him to another location within Edolas, the wormhole pierced into Earthland and switched him with Salamander."

Edo-Natsu looked ready to cry. "Levy wouldn't do that. She's scary sometimes, but she wouldn't send me away like this. Lucy would kill her."

Erza Knightwalker laughed wryly. "This is the truth about how good your friends are, Fireball Natsu. Reduced to being one of their guinea pigs!"

"Easy, Erza," King Jellal warned. "I don't care which dimension they're in, the one universal truth about Fairy Tail is that they care deeply for their friends. It very well could have been an accident."

The redheaded soldier sneered at him. "King Jellal, you're too soft. I say we leave him there. Maybe after they've hurt one of their own, Fairy Tail will stop the senseless human experimentations."

"No," King Jellal sighed. "It's possible the two Natsu's switched places, which means we need to find Natsu Dragneel before Fairy Tail uses him as their newest test subject."

Lucy covered her mouth. "They'd experiment on Natsu? That's horrible!"

"We know where they are, at least," King Jellal assured them. "The epicenter of yesterday's power outage should be their new headquarters. Knightwalker, I want you to take a small dispatch of Legions and fly out there immediately. No hunting!" he insisted sternly. "Investigate if Natsu Dragneel is with them, retrieve him unharmed, then return here without creating a conflict with Fairy Tail."

"Che!" she scoffed.

"I'm worried," King Jellal admitted. "Natsu has a vast amount of magic within his body, and even after seven years, the people of Edolas are still in the throes of magic dependency. As much as I would like to give our Fairy Tail the benefit of a doubt, since you helped them back during the war, Salamander is still a link to magic. My father did horrible things to try and siphon that dragon slayer magic out. I fear Fairy Tail might be that desperate, too."

"Oh no!" Wendy gasped, remembering the agony she and Natsu went through in Edolas at the hands of King Faust.

"Any help is appreciated," Master Makarov said humbly. "How long will this take?"

"Give us a week. Are you able to contact this monitor again?"

"It was a shot in the dark," Makarov admitted. "Maybe the output of your communication device was strong enough for us to latch on, or maybe it was pure luck. We're not sure."

"It was likely due to this technological invention they recently perfected called Webnet. Today was the first time we tested it at full power. It's a massive archival and communication device, a web of information. I think using both Webnet and the magic of Earthland to pierce the division between dimensions, we can communicate."

"That would be helpful in trying to correct this problem," Makarov nodded.

"Then in one week I'll have the Webnet operators crank this to full power again. Try to contact us at that time. Hopefully by then we'll have Natsu safely in the castle. We can then figure out how to switch the two back."

"Understood. Thank you, Mystogan."

The king smiled fondly at that name. "It's the least I can do for sheltering me for so many years, Master Makarov. Until next week." Then Laxus removed his hand from Freed's runes and cut the power.

"Well!" Makarov said with a yawn. "Looks like you're stuck with us for a week, Edo-Natsu."

"Huh? Oh...yeah, I guess," he muttered.

Erza patted the boy's back, and he cringed away from her in instinctual fear. "Don't worry. It was likely nothing more than an accident. I'm sure your friends would never purposely put your life in danger."

"Oh...uh...thanks," he whispered, yet he still hid behind Lucy.

"So, what are you going to do until then?" Lucy asked, trying to push him away.

"Do?" he asked in confusion. "I figured I'd just wait around here in the guild. You have sleeping quarters, right?"

"Not really," Mirajane explained. "Most people live in town or in the girl's dorm. We have beds in the infirmary. That won't be too comfortable, though. How about you go to Natsu's home with Happy?"

"No," Lucy sighed. "Happy is depressed." She pointed over to where the blue Exceed was trying to drown his sorrows away in a pint of mackerel-flavored ice cream.

"I...I can't live with an Exceed anyway," Edo-Natsu whispered. "They're...they're...gods."

Gajeel chuckled. "Oh, that's right! You folks think the cats are angels and shit."

"Yeah, that'd be bad," Gray realized. "Happy might get too cocky and start ordering this guy around."

Makarov considered the dilemma. He hummed and stroked his mustache. Edo-Natsu hid behind Lucy again as Cana came up and invited him to drink with her. The old master saw how the boy responded to each guild member. He seemed uncertain around Wendy since she was a child compared to his own version. He was scared to death of Erza. He tried to be friendly with Gray, who shoved him away whenever Fireball Natsu got too clingy. Mirajane made him smile, likely since she was exactly the same as his own Mira. Lisanna came up and began asking about her old friends. However, Elfman terrified the boy. Other people in the guild either kept their distance, unsure about this timid version of Natsu, or their boisterous nature scared the poor boy. Whenever that happened, Edo-Natsu cowered behind Lucy, grabbing her arm, using her for protection.

Makarov realized, that was what this Natsu needed during his week-long stay in Earthland. Lots of things might scare him. He needed someone gentle, someone with patience, someone who could be friendly with him and who he felt safe around.

"Lucy," the master shouted out. The Celestial Spirit wizard looked over in question. "Fireball Natsu will stay at your place."

"What!" she shouted. "Why me?"

"You're the only one I trust for this duty. Watch over him this entire week. Don't let him go wandering around on his own. If he gets lost or hurt, we might not be able to get Natsu back."

"But...but I have to do jobs," she protested. "I don't have enough to pay rent yet."

"The guild will compensate you. Consider this as a job: shelter and protect Natsu Dragion for one week. In payment, I'll cover your rent for two months."

"Two months?" she gasped, and her eyes lit up. "Okay, I can do that much. Just keep him company and out of trouble, right?" She looked at the shy boy who flailed helplessly as Cana grabbed him into a drunken hug and smashed his face into her boobs. "How hard can it be?"

Edo-Natsu blushed as he turned away from Cana and back to Lucy. "You...you'll take me in?"

"Only if you're good, neat, behave, and stay quiet," she said, listing the demands on her fingers.

"Oh yes! Yes, ma'am!" he nodded vigorously.

"Fine, let's go," Lucy grumbled, and she stomped out. Edo-Natsu followed like a happy puppy that just found an owner.

"Ya know," Cana chuckled, "that version of Natsu is sorta cute. Lucy's gonna be in big trouble."

Happy covered his mouth and giggled. "He lllllllikes her!"

**End of Chapter 1**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _This is a request from Serena Starling. I decline most requests, I simply don't have time, yet I instantly got taken in with this one, especially since there are currently no fanfics for Edo-Natsu and Lucy._
> 
> _Before you all point out about Ichiya and the lookalike Exceed, my imagination is that, since we've seen no evidence of cross-species lookalikes in Earthland so far, it was a (sad) incidence of doppelgänger. Somewhere out there is the "real" Edo-Ichiya, a human Mafia boss. My story, my imagination._
> 
> _EXTRA NOTE: This story is now in Italian.<http://www.efpfanfic.net/viewstory.php?sid=1682609>_


	2. The Fireball and the Princess

Lucy unlocked her door, removed her shoes in the foyer, and dropped her bag heavily with a long, weary sigh.

"What a mission!" she exclaimed, heading straight to the kitchen to get dinner started. "Those guys were insanely hard. Even Natsu had issues. And now, Natsu! I hope he's okay. Well, it's Natsu, so he'll be fine. Still, without him around, I wondered if the rest of the team would want to do another mission, an easier one, something so I can pay rent and...oh...that's right," she mumbled peevishly.

She walked out of the kitchen, through the main room, and glanced to the doorway. Edo-Natsu had insisted on walking behind her—far behind her—the whole way, so she completely forgot about him. Now he stood in the doorway, only leaning his head in, glancing around with his mouth gaped open in awe.

"Well, come on in," she said brusquely.

"Ah, yes ma'am, sorry." He scurried in and shut the door, yet stayed at the foyer looking around in amazement. It was smaller than he had imagined for a girl who looked like a princess. From what he could see, there were only three rooms: the main room with a bed, a dining table and three chairs, a desk, an overstuffed cushioned chair, and bookshelves...lots of bookshelves. Then the room Lucy reentered, and from the glimpse of a stove, he realized that was the kitchen. The one next to it must be a bathroom, and there was a small door leading to what he guessed must be a balcony or fire escape. Overall, plenty of room for one person, but it would be crowded with two.

"Never seen a house before?" she teased as she got water boiling for tea and some rice cooking for dinner.

"Well, I'm not really sure," he admitted, venturing forward one step at a time, as if checking for landmines in the wooden floors. "I lived with my father in whatever cheap motels were close to the racetracks, and when he vanished, I was taken in by Fairy Tail. I lived with them, and since we were always jumping from place to place, most of us lived inside the guild building, so...I don't think I've ever been in a real house like this. A few swanky hotels, but not a house. Lucy used to have a small apartment. She hates staying with the rest of us, so whenever we plan to stay in one place for a few months, she rents a place in the nearby town. I always wondered what it'd look like inside, but she would only have me drop her off, never invited me up. This place..." He took a couple hesitant steps in. "It's very...un-Lucy-like."

"What?" she yelled. "What do you mean? And take off your shoes. I don't want you dragging dirt onto my floor."

"Ah! Sorry, sorry," he squeaked and quickly removed his boots. "I just mean, I always imagined Lucy's home would be...you know...all black with chains hanging from the walls. This home is...cute. Simply cute!" He beamed at her. "Like Lucy Heartfilia."

She glared at him. "Are you already trying to flirt with me? Don't tell me you're as bad as that playboy Loke."

His face went a few shades paler. "Waah! No, I...I didn't mean it in a flirting way," he swore. "And...L-Loke?" He tilted his head in confusion. "Your Loke is a flirt? As in with women?"

"Well, yeah," she mumbled. "Why? Did you guys have Loke in Edolas, too? I didn't see him there. What is he like? Was he in the guild?" She laughed softly as she pulled a tin of tea down. "Don't tell me he's gay."

"Well, that too," the boy mumbled, wondering where he could sit that would be least offensive to his hostess. "Loke vanished long before you Earthland guys arrived. Some say he got in a fight with Lucy and she killed him."

Lucy dropped the tin, and it clattered on the cabinet shelf. "Seriously?" she cried out in shock. "Lucy Ashley killed your Loke?"

"That's the rumor," Natsu frowned. "Not only was he homosexual; he was a total misogynist, hated women, and he despised Lucy for trying to take over the guild. He argued with her many times, bad arguments that broke into bloody fights. I heard him muttering 'I want to kill that bitch' many times. Others said he tried to, sneaking in on her while she slept. Once, Lucy got food poisoning and Loke just laughed, so she accused him of trying to poison her. Shortly after that...he vanished. Lucy was quiet about it, so we think maybe he tried to kill her again, and she killed him instead."

"Yikes!" Lucy cringed. With a shiver, she returned to the boiling water. "I think I prefer my Loke to something like that. He's a playboy, but he always fights for me...when he's not out on a date and sends one of the other Spirits," she amended.

"Um...can I...um...uh...use the...the...um..."

"Spit it out," she sighed.

"Bathroom," he muttered bashfully. "I haven't gone since we were on the train."

"Oh, no problem. It's the door on the right."

"Thanks. Sorry." He trotted off fast.

Lucy shook her head. "They have a Loke who wants to assassinate Lucy, a Lucy who is like _that_ , and Levy is a mad scientist who uses her own guild members for experiments but hates to write down how she builds things. Edolas is a really messed up world. But Natsu...this Natsu is somewhat adorable, nothing at all like that rude, utterly obtuse dragon slayer."

The thought made her smile. Natsu had sneaked into her house all the time, sometimes curling up into her bed only to scare the heck out of her in the morning, yet Edo-Natsu was timid even to enter and stuttered bashfully just to use the bathroom. It would be easy to keep him in line, and she would not mind hearing more stories about the Edolas versions of Fairy Tail.

When Edo-Natsu returned, he sneaked into the kitchen slowly, with the caution of a tomcat approaching a doberman. Lucy hummed as she stir-fried some vegetables and chicken.

"Can I help?"

"Kyaaaaa!" she screamed in surprise.

Edo-Natsu crouched to the ground and covered his head. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Oh, stop it!" she snapped, really getting frustrated with his timidity. "Just don't sneak up behind me." Her hand went to her chest as her heart beat erratically. "Sheesh, that scared me."

"Sorry. I was just wondering if you need some help."

"I'm fine. I made tea. Help yourself. Just sit somewhere until I'm done cooking. Read any of the magazines, but don't you _dare_ touch my writing desk or I will skewer you!"

"Yes, ma'am," he squeaked. "I'm sorry, really sorry." He rushed out with a whimpering sound croaking in his throat.

Soon dinner was done. Edo-Natsu sat on the red cushioned chair, his legs crossed under him, reading the latest _Sorcerer Magazine_ and sipping the tea Lucy prepared. He eagerly offered to help her set the table, and he carried in some of the dishes. Lucy chuckled at this completely unique situation, a Natsu who was helpful around the house, who carried things carefully, never spilled a drop, and looked happy to set the silverware in perfect order: fork, knife, then spoon. As they ate, he was neat about the food. When he spilled a little sauce, he quickly cleaned it up. Definitely nothing like the sloppy, gorging dragon slayer!

"Hey, Edo-Natsu, can you please pass the salt?"

"Huh?" He glanced up from his meal and pointed to his chest. "Me?"

"Who else?"

"Sorry, it's just weird hearing you and everyone else call me _Edo-Natsu_. I mean, I'm trying to call you just Lucy instead of Earth-Lucy, although that's weird too since you're nothing like Lucy Ashley. Can't you just call me Natsu?"

"I...guess," she mumbled. "So Natsu..." She stopped and pouted. "Nope, it's too weird."

"Then call me Fireball. Natsu Dragneel doesn't go by that name, does he?"

"No, he's known as Salamander. Okay then...Fireball, please pass the salt."

He laughed and blushed a little. "I guess it's weird to hear you call me that name, too. Lucy rarely calls me Fireball."

He handed the salt shaker over to her. Their fingers touched, she felt the rough hands and warm skin, and Lucy suddenly let go. The shaker fell, and white grains of salt spilled onto the table.

"Ah! I'm so sorry," Natsu shouted, quickly righting it up. "I thought you had it."

"No, it's my fault," she said quickly. "I dropped it."

He began to dust the spilled salt into a napkin. "I should have made sure it was in your hands. I'm so sorry. I'm such a klutz."

"It's not your fault, okay?" she snapped. "I just...oh, whatever," she growled.

Why had she jolted like that? It was just Natsu! Well, a different Natsu, but that was all the more reason to be casual around him. So why did that touch make her heart race?

_Dammit Lucy! Just because he's a bit cute and totally unlike that destructive dragon slayer, I'm acting like some teenager. Well, I am a teenager, but still! He's from another dimension, for crying out loud!_

"Now I wonder what I should call you," he said, continuing with their meal. "I mean, I've been trying really hard to call you Lucy, but I feel like hiding every time I say her name." He laughed bashfully at admitting that, and he rubbed the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. "Should I call you Heartfilia?"

"No, I don't always want people to know I'm from that family."

"Oh, I see. So they're yakuza as well, like the Ashley Family?"

"What?" Lucy shouted. "No! No, my father headed a konzern, a large business group. We were...sorta rich. Maybe very rich," she admitted, not too proudly. "Papa's company was one of the wealthiest in Fiore, but we lost it all. Still, I don't want people to think I'm some snobby rich heiress or princess."

"Princess?" he asked. "I guess you really are more like a princess than a yakuza. Can I call you that, then?"

She pouted and huffed. "Why not? Virgo and Loke call me Princess. It's a little annoying, but it's better than having people know I'm a Heartfilia."

He grinned happily. "All right! You get to be my Princess," he declared happily, then continued to eat his dinner.

Again, Lucy blushed and scolded herself. He was from Edolas! He'd be going back home in just a week! So why in the world was she thinking he was a bit cute?

After dinner, Fireball washed the dishes. Lucy was impressed with how helpful and neat he was. After taking a bath, he left the room sparkling clean. She worried a bit while she was taking her own bath that maybe he had a perverted side under all that bashfulness. She kept her whip near the bathtub, and her Spirit Keys with Virgo's set out for easy reach so she could use the maid to punish the boy if he dared to spy on her. However, Fireball never peeked. When she came out dressed in a robe with a towel around her hair, she saw that he had folded out her shikibuton and made his own bed on the floor at the foot of her bed, already asleep and breathing heavily.

She knelt by him, watching his chest rise and fall. His goggles were off, his pink hair loose, and he wore some pajamas she had laid out for him.

"Sheesh, you really are the spitting image of Natsu," she whispered softly so he would not wake up. "Even the shade of pink in your hair is the same." She brushed back the hair a little and saw that he lacked the scar on the side of his neck. "No scar? Well, I guess you're _almost_ identical. Your arms are thinner, too. Natsu trains all the time, so his arms are huge and buff. I wonder," she breathed, "if this guy's abs are as insanely taut as Natsu's. Whenever Natsu wears that opened vest of his, he's always a little hot. Just a little."

She gazed down at the body covered in blankets.

"Sheesh, what am I thinking?" Lucy scolded herself for momentarily wanting to peek on him. "Of course he isn't _exactly_ the same. Dragion and Dragneel had different lives. Although many aspects were the same, they're different people. This guy...he's nothing like Natsu. He's just...a stranger. A stranger from another dimension."

She looked at her bed. She wished she had a separate room and could locked the door so this _stranger_ could not sneak in. However, her apartment had only one main room. She instinctively felt she could trust Fireball, yet she was not sure what she might do if she woke up and found him in her bed. Lucy finished drying her hair, brushed it out for the night, and fell asleep quickly.

When her breath softened and went deep with dreams, Natsu Dragion opened his eyes. He had pretended to be asleep, hoping she would just leave him alone. Not moving while Lucy was close enough to strangle him was really hard, yet listening to her gentle words, feeling her soft fingers, and smelling that sweet scent that wafted off her body, made him realize that he could trust this Lucy.

He was silent as he stood up and looked down at her, cute in her pink quilted comforter and bathed in moonlight. For some reason, hearing her call him a stranger made him feel sad. Although it was true, he hardly knew this gentle princess, still he liked to think that they could be good friends, like him and Lucy Ashley.

He walked away from the bed to the window that looked out over the canal. Magnolia! It seemed like a peaceful place to live. He looked out at the stars—even they looked the same—and whispered, "Lucy, did you really let Levy use me like that? I can't believe it was on purpose. I can't! Lucy," he sighed wistfully. "I wonder if you're also like this Lucy. You probably prefer strong, muscular men like Natsu Dragneel. I bet, if you two met up, you'd fall for him in an instant. Lucky guy!"

He returned to his mattress, glancing briefly at the sleeping princess. _Sleeping at her feet like a dog_ , he thought, yet the idea was not distasteful to him. He quietly knelt back down, crawled onto the shikibuton, closed his eyes, and tried to fall asleep in this strange land.

**End of Chapter 2**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _What's a shikibuton? Think a soft mattress that lays on the floor and folds up into a pile you can hide away. Also called a shiki bed, nothing like the European/American concepts of a futon, although they have the same origin. It's traditional in Japan, good for posture, and more comfortable than you might think._


	3. Chaos in Edolas

In Edolas, Natsu hid behind a broken bit of a low wall, crouched with Edo-Lucy beside him. She had a crossbow, and he held a flamethrower. Both of them were out of breath. The air was smoky from something burning, and Edo-Lucy kept coughing from the ash that swirled in the air.

"I hate this dumb piece of crap," Natsu yelled, punching the flaming device.

"Idiot," Lucy Ashley snapped, slapping his hand and forcing the flamethrower to point toward the ground. "That thing is volatile. Hit it too hard and it'll explode in your face."

"Good! Maybe if I eat the flames, I can use more of my magic."

"Get over that already!" the blonde screamed. "How do you think we got into this mess, huh?"

"Well, I managed to light a flame earlier," he pointed out proudly.

"A tiny one!"

Natsu looked stubborn. "It was still something. Whatever Mystogan gave me back then, it must still be working a little."

"After seven years?" she shouted.

"It wasn't seven years to me. Honestly, it seems like I was here less than six months ago."

"That's true," Edo-Lucy muttered. "So you guys lost time too, huh? No wonder you still look like a fucking kid."

"Yep. Seven years, then another three months while we were in the Spirit World." He grinned widely to her. "Mystogan's pill must still be in my system despite all that. I've still got a little bit of my abilities!"

"Shit yeah, enough for those bastards out there to realize you have magic, but not enough to actually fight them," Lucy Ashley yelled angrily. "Those assholes don't give a rat's ass whether you can breathe fucking dragon flames or barely light a cigarette. You have magic inside of you still, and that's what they..."

An explosion cut her off, and the ground nearby shook. Natsu grabbed her, covering her as dirt and rocks rained down on them. From the other side of the wall they heard a yell. "Watch out! Don't kill the magic user."

"What are you doing, pervert?" Edo-Lucy growled, shoving Natsu aside roughly.

"What else? Protecting you," he shrugged, not understanding what her problem was.

"Like I need that!" She dusted the debris off of her black leather outfit. "Fuck, we were doing just fine until _you_ showed up."

Natsu yelled angrily, "Hey, you were the ones who brought me here. I want you to send me back."

"Oh, trust me," she laughed wryly, "I can't wait to get a bastard like you out of here." She slipped above the edge of the wall to take a shot with her crossbow. "You're nothing but trouble, Salamander!"

"Back at you, Ashley."

There were more shots, and one grazed Edo-Lucy on the shoulder. She cried out and slid back down the wall, grabbing the bleeding wound.

"Dammit, just what I need," she growled, pressing her head hard against the bricks to focus off of the pain.

Natsu saw blood dripping down her arm. "They shot you!" he yelled in astonishment.

"No shit, dipwad!" she growled. "Whaddya think they've been trying to do this whole time? Fucking bitch, that hurt!" she cringed, flexing her fingers to see if there was nerve damage.

Natsu smelled the familiar and hated scent: Lucy's blood. Whenever Lucy bled, the instinct to protect her surged in his chest. He knew this was not _his_ Lucy, but seeing that face drawn up in pain inflamed his sense of justice. He glanced around the edge of the wall at the mob of cutthroats who had pinned them down.

"They just want me, right?" he reasoned. "And they want me alive?"

"Sounds like it," she hissed through the pain. "Dammit, where's Levy with the backup?"

"Stay there, and hold on to this," Natsu said, handing her the flamethrower. "Don't hesitate to burn me with it. It won't hurt me." Then he stood up with his hands raised. "All right, don't shoot," he shouted to the group of thugs.

"The hell are you doing?" Edo-Lucy hissed, yet with her bad shoulder she could not grab him and stop him.

The leader of the gang grinned. "So, you're the magic user. Surrendering already? Smart boy."

"Don't hurt these people," Natsu demanded. "I just happened to end up with them."

"Liar! I know that face," the leader chuckled. "I used to bet on his car races. It's the face of Fireball Natsu, except his eyes never looked so glaring and spiteful. You're from that magical mirror dimension, Earthland or whatever they call it. That damn Fairy Tail probably brought you here to power up their terrorist weapons."

"No!" the blonde yelled, but Natsu waved her to stay there.

"You're coming with us," the leader insisted.

"Promise you'll let her and the others go," Natsu insisted, slowly walking forward.

"Promise?" the gang leader chuckled. "Yeah? Or what? I was a soldier back then; I read the reports from seven years ago. You Earthland people can't use your magic here, although it's still within your body. So what's a helpless thing like you gonna do if I hurt that little blondie?"

Natsu walked right up to him and glared into the tall man's face. "Hurt you right back." He punched the leader in the stomach, then swept his foot at the guy's legs, knocking him flat on his back. "Just because I'm a wizard doesn't mean I can't fight. How about I give you a little _flicker_ of that Earthland magic?"

"Don't you dare show them, you asshole," Edo-Lucy hissed, but it was too late.

Natsu held his hand out and snapped his finger. The flame was tiny, truly pathetic. The pill Mystogan gave them had slowly worn off. If it had truly been like seven years, likely he would be helpless, but for Natsu's physical body, only a few months had passed. He was glad he had at least a little something to use in this strange world. Besides, a flicker was all it took to set the bandit leader's cloak on fire, and within seconds he was engulfed. Some of his men worked fast to put out the fire while the other cutthroats pulled out guns and swords.

"Now, Lucy!"

She whipped around the edge of the wall, gritted in worry about hurting him, but she trusted this Natsu knew what he was doing. She fired the flamethrower, and with a battle cry she swept a fiery arc at the enemies. Most of them caught ablaze and screamed while rolling on the ground to put out the fire. The others quickly ran away. Edo-Lucy could have kept firing and killed them all, but she hurriedly turned off the weapon, terrified about Natsu.

"Salamander!" she screamed with horrified eyes.

In the middle of the flaming field, she saw the fire swirl and suck in. In amazement, she watched Natsu eat the fire around him, which likely saved the lives of all the people caught by the flames.

"Thanks for the meal," he smiled, licking his lips. "A little too chemical for my taste, but not half bad."

"You're a monster," Lucy Ashley gawked.

"How rude! I'm a dragon slayer. I eat fire. Nothing monstrous about that," he said with a casual shrug. "Now, let's get out of here."

He grabbed her hand to yank her out of being stunned by what she had just witnessed. Natsu laughed as he pulled Edo-Lucy along, running fast over the arid ground of the abandoned village and out to a desert of stones and stubby dry bushes.

"Hey Ashley," he called out as he grinned back at her. "You look kinda cute like that."

"What!" she roared peevishly. "Cute how?"

"Looking shocked. You almost look like my Lucy. I saw Lucy give that same expression when we first met," he told her. "I grabbed her hand and dragged her along to Fairy Tail, too. Seems like history is repeating itself."

"Don't get cocky," Lucy Ashley warned. "This is _my_ Fairy Tail we're heading to. Gah, I can't wait to send you back. I miss my Natsu."

He pouted. "Oh, come on! I just saved us."

"We're only in trouble because of you," she yelled back. Then she cringed as the running jarred her injured shoulder. "Dammit, where's that bitch Levy?"

They heard clopping like a stampede, then Edolas' Levy, Jet, and Droy rode up on strange animals, something like a cross between a rabbit and an emu. It had a cotton tail, pale lavender fur coat, gecko-like feet, tiny front arms with three short fingers, bright red lips with pudgy cheeks, and it shook its head from side to side fast. They pulled up beside the two fleeing on foot.

Edo-Levy grinned down at them. "Need a ride?"

"About time, you bastards," Lucy Ashley growled.

"We were trying to find more tanchimos. We only have one spare, but it's Natsu's tanchimo, Yusō," she said, pulling on the reins to another one of the odd rabbit-emu animals. Unlike the others, this one looked wild and balked against its restraints.

"You idiot!" Edo-Lucy roared. "No one can ride that stupid beast but Natsu. That animal is psychotic!"

Yusō stopped rearing backward and hobbled over to Natsu. He looked at the weird creature straight in its beady black eyes, not the least bit scared, only curious. Yusō sniffed him, gave the dragon slayer's head a lick that made his pink hair stand straight up, then the beast bowed its head.

"I'll be damned," Lucy whispered. "I guess you stink as bad as that grease-monkey does. Well, let's get you up on him."

"What?" Natsu exclaimed in horror. "No way! I can't ride."

Lucy began ordering them around. "Droy, sit behind him since you're the skinniest. I'll take your tanchimo."

"Come on, mate," Edo-Droy said, yanking Natsu straight up into the saddle and then sitting behind him. "Yusō is Fireball Natsu's favorite tanchimo, raised him and broke him in himself, and he seems to like you so the ride should be smooth."

"Oh...oh no," Natsu moaned, already feeling sick just from the wobbling that the animal's natural head-shaking was causing. "Not transportation!"

"You better hold him tightly," Edo-Lucy warned as she climbed into her saddle with one arm. "Remember, he's the opposite to our Natsu. This kid gets sick on transportation."

"Seriously?" Edo-Droy frowned. "Rather useless, isn't he?"

Lucy Ashley chuckled as she remembered what she had seen with Natsu lighting the bandit leader on fire and eating the flames. "He's got some strong points. Now, let's ride! _Heeyah!_ " She kicked the sides of her animal, and all three rode over the dusty plain.

For poor Natsu, it was many leagues of misery, with the super skinny Edo-Droy holding him up. The tanchimo named Yusō was surprisingly smooth to ride, but not even that helped Natsu. By the time they reached Fairy Tail, the sun had set and Natsu was pale green. He collapsed off of the animal and laid sprawled out in the dirt.

"Kill me now," he moaned loudly.

"Don't tempt me," Lucy Ashley sneered. "Now get up and drag your ass inside. I don't want anyone else realizing you're not Natsu."

"I _am_ Natsu!"

"I mean our Natsu! Shit, this is confusing," she grumbled. "Droy, get the tanchimos into the stables. Don't you dare let one escape again. Jet, you're on lookout." She suddenly tripped over a squeaky toy in the shape of a pink Exceed. "Dammit, this is why I hate kids! Bisca, Alzack!"

From inside the guild, Bisca shouted, "Don't you dare say my name along with that two-timing jerk."

Alzack yelled back, "If you hadn't been spreading your legs for half of Traia, maybe I wouldn't have had an affair that _one time_."

Lucy burst into the tree-shaped guild and silenced the bickering divorced couple. "Shut up, both of you! Asuka left her toys out in front of the guild again. She belongs to both of you, so until you settle your stupid custody battle, you are both in charge of making sure she picks up after herself."

Bisca rose up and stormed out the door. "Once I win full custody, I swear I'm leaving this guild to give Asuka a better life."

Alzack followed right behind her. "I didn't think _street whore_ was a step up from being in a dark guild."

"Shut up, Alzack!"

Lucy shouted, "Both of you shut up. God-fucking-dammit!"

"Lucy," Bisca called back. "That mirror universe Natsu just puked on Asuka's toy."

"Deal with it!" she screamed, then Ashley sighed in weariness and rubbed out a headache. "Like we don't have enough issues with the royal guards chasing us, now we have to deal with this fool."

Edo-Levy followed her in. "Why not just dump the brat off somewhere?"

"I'd've let him run away, but you said we might need him so we can exchange him and Natsu," Edo-Lucy muttered. "You have no fucking clue what you did to Natsu, do you, Levy?"

"Hey, don't blame me," the blue-haired girl yelled back. "It's not like I zapped him on purpose."

"Then what the fuck did you do? It sure as hell wasn't anyone else in this guild who zapped him. It's your machine, you're the only one who knows how the damn thing works, and _you_ were the one at the controls when it activated. I know you don't particularly like Natsu, but shit! Zapping your own guild mate into another dimension?"

"It was just supposed to be running a hardware diagnostic," Edo-Levy sneered. "The stupid thing wasn't supposed to fire randomly like that."

"Which means it's another failure."

"Don't say it as if all of my inventions are failures," Edo-Levy yelled irately. "More than half of them work. That's way above the average success rate of the king's royal scientists."

"Then build something that works at getting Natsu back," the blonde barked. "Dammit, this brat is here one day and I already can't stand him. Gimme back my Fireball!"

Edo-Levy folded her arms. "If I can figure out what the personal trans-dimensional ray did the first time, maybe I can reverse engineer it to work again. It'll take time, Lucy. I can't wave a magic wand, ya know!"

She pointed a finger hard into the shorter girl's chest. "I'll give you a week."

"I'd need at least a month for a proper diagnostic alone!" the bluenette protested.

"Dammit, Levy, we don't know what happened to Natsu. This bastard Salamander said he was in the middle of some big fight. For all we know, Natsu was killed, or he's severely injured, or...or who knows!" she cried out emotionally. "He's trapped in another dimension filled with those psychopathic wizards, a world where everyone is magical except him. A weak guy like Natsu can't survive in a world like that."

"Sure he can," came another voice.

The two women looked over. Natsu Dragneel had crawled into the guild building and was slowly recovering from his ride.

"Your Natsu is stronger than you think. My Fairy Tail will protect him. They're probably trying to figure out how to get me back, too. You guys may be the polar opposite of my world, but Fairy Tail always cares for its own, no matter what dimension you're in. He'll be fine. Until either you guys or my guild can figure out how to switch us back, I'll keep a low profile, okay? I don't want to cause you guys trouble."

"Too late for that," Lucy Ashley huffed.

"Lucy!" The doors burst open and Jet ran in fast followed by Droy. "More gangs! Looks like three of them coming from different directions. They'll be here in a few minutes."

"Shit, word has spread," the blonde sneered. "That's it, we're getting out of here. Levy, you better pray that damn transporter will work and not zap all of us into another dimension."

"I'm not finished with the testing," Levy protested.

"Screw that! We have to get out of here."

Levy looked like she was ready to explode and just barely keeping a lid on her angry. "Fine! But it'll take two minutes to calculate the wormhole coordinates."

They heard an explosion, and the guild building shook.

"Cannonball!" Macao shouted.

"Shit," Lucy Ashley sneered. "Levy, you have less than one minute!"

"Not happening, Lucy," she said, already at a console and typing furiously. "If I don't make the calculations, we very well could end up materializing halfway in a mountain."

Another cannonball hit the guild and blew apart one wall. Natsu barely had time to grab Edo-Wendy and yank her to the floor, saving her from getting smashed by the metal ball. They fell to the floor together as smoke and bits of shattered wall rained down on them. Natsu rose up onto his hands and looked down at her.

"You okay?" he asked worriedly.

The voluptuous older Wendy grinned seductively up at him. "Oh yes, perfectly fine. You're quite brave, Salamander." She ran her hands up his arms. "Strong, too."

Natsu blushed and rolled off of her. "Ah, it's...it's nothing."

Edo-Lucy coughed as dust and smoke filled the guild building. "Now, Levy!"

"We can't!" Edo-Levy gasped. "Gajeel is still outside."

"Fuck him. Oh wait, you do that every night anyway," Edo-Lucy smirked, making the blue-haired girl leap at her in rage. "Look, Gajeel can take care of himself. If we don't go..."

"No! Gajeel said..."

"Screw that, we're out of time!" Frustrated, she punched a button on Edo-Levy's console.

Outside, the attackers were stunned when the guild building wavered and vanished. Then the three gangs noticed one another, and instead they decided to attack each other to fight off their frustration at losing their prey.

To the side, hiding behind some distant trees, Edo-Gajeel had been keeping notes on the attacks, jotting things down in his little notebook. When the guild building vanished, his mouth dropped a little.

"Levy," he whispered. The sadness was banished fast. He shoved his glasses up his nose in determination. He was a reporter, and now was the time to report. "The King must be told about this."

**End of Chapter 3**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Tanchimo was the name of the weird creature used for transportation in "Rave Master," Hiro Mashima's first manga. I honestly have no clue what he was supposed to be, besides having "a rabbit-like appearance and walks like an emu." Yusō_ 輸送 _is Japanese for "transportation." Edo-Natsu isn't very original when it comes to naming animals._


	4. Jealousy and Promises

It was another pleasant summer morning in Earthland. However, Lucy woke up to shouting nearby. She grumbled at first, thinking it must be Gray and Natsu fighting again. At least she heard Natsu's voice, but the other sounded different.

"Loke and Natsu?" she hummed, still half asleep. "Since when have those two become so…" She stopped as she remembered that this was not Natsu Dragneel. "Oh crap," she grumbled, scrambling out of bed and barely remembering to wrap a housecoat around her. In the foyer, Natsu Dragion was on the floor nursing a hurt shoulder and crying weakly while Loke loomed over him with a jealous glint behind his blue sunglasses.

Loke sneered at the sniveling boy. "Why are you here at this time of the day? I know you try to sneak into her bed, you perverted little…"

"Fireball!" Lucy shouted. She ran forward and knelt beside him, instantly fretting that he might have been seriously injured by the powerful Celestial Spirit. "You poor guy. Did he hurt you?"

Edo-Natsu suddenly grabbed Lucy and shielded himself in her arms. "Help me, Princess," he cried out. "It's that scary jerk, Loke."

"Princess!" Loke roared lividly. "She's _my_ princess. No one but me and Virgo can call her Princess."

Lucy glared up at him. "Well, he does too now, so get over it."

"Lucyyyyy," Loke whined. "Don't tell me you finally hooked up with this fire-idiot."

"Quiet, Loke. This isn't Natsu. Or, not _our_ Natsu at least."

"Waaaaah," Fireball cried out wetly. "Don't hurt Lucy, please! Hurt me instead, just don't hurt her. Only, maybe don't hurt me too much, Mister Loke," he added.

Lucy felt him shivering with terror and stroked his back in comfort, hushing him softly like reassuring a child it was all a dream. "It's not the Loke you know. This is my Loke."

"Yes, _her_ Loke!" the Lion bragged.

"Shut up, Loke," Lucy grumbled.

Fireball sniffled. "I … I heard his voice downstairs, and I thought he was here to assassinate you again, so … so I … I tried to stop him from sneaking in, but then he hit me and … and I thought … he was gonna … gonna kill me and … and … and I was so scared. It was scary, Lucy." He grabbed her again and hid his face into her housecoat. "It was really, really scary!"

"Easy," she soothed, hugging him despite the wet face that felt gross on her bosom. "You're safe now. There's nothing to fear."

"Wait, what? Assassinate her?" Loke yelled in outrage. "Natsu, have you really lost it? How could I ever hurt Lucy? I _live_ for Lucy! I'm her knight in shining armor. You know me better than that. And I didn't hit you. I barely shoved you. Since when were you so weak?"

"I told you," Lucy sighed. "This isn't Natsu Dragneel. This is Edolas' version, Natsu Dragion."

"Edolas?" Loke asked. "Do you mean that place without magic? Oh wait!" he cried out gleefully. "Does that mean the other Lucy is here, the one with short hair and black leather and looks oh-so-dangerous like some seductive dominatrix who wants to give out spankings?"

"No!" Lucy said with a peeved thud. "Perverted Lion."

Edo-Natsu giggled softly. "Lucy Ashley does worse than spankings."

Loke leaned in eagerly. "Do tell!"

"Shut up," Lucy screamed, stomping a foot in frustration.

"Kyaaah, I'm sorry, don't hurt me," Fireball wailed, cowering down and covering his head.

"Che! Fine," Loke sighed. "So how did he get here, and why is he in your house?"

"Where else could he go?" she asked.

Loke looked stubborn. "Anywhere but with you. You're mine."

"You're just jealous."

"Of course I am. I love you, Lucy."

"Love her?" Fireball asked, sniffing back tears and wiping his moist eyes. He looked back and forth between the two. "Do you mean you two are … you're … dating?"

"No!" Lucy shouted. "Absolutely not."

Loke smiled proudly. "Our bond is much deeper than simple boyfriend and girlfriend."

"Oh, stop it," she sighed, suppressing a yawn.

The Lion spirit smiled happily. "You're so cute when you first wake up. Do you blame me for not wanting anyone else to see your adorable morning face?"

Lucy only felt irritated. "Why are you here, Loke?"

"I came to take you out for breakfast. It's our anniversary, remember?"

"Anniversary?" asked Fireball.

"Yes." Loke began to proudly boast. "On this day many years ago, my heart and soul became all hers, and she became the master over my fate, our paths intertwined by destiny. Isn't that right, Lucy?"

"Something like that," she grumbled.

"Oh, so … you two … you're married?" the pink-haired teen asked in confusion.

"Hell no!" Lucy screamed.

Loke sighed with hearts in his eyes. "Oh, how I would love to make her mine alone! Alas, such matrimonial bliss is not in the stars … yet. Although I have proposed to her at least once."

Lucy growled and rubbed out her head. "Sheesh, this is too much for first thing in the morning."

Fireball crouched down. "Sorry! I'm sorry. I'm just a little confused. I mean, the Loke from Edolas was out to murder Lucy, so the fact that you two get along is really weird. What sort of relationship do you two have?"

"The closest bond in the heavens," Loke declared romantically.

Lucy waved it off dismissively. "He's a Celestial Spirit and I own the key to his gate, nothing more."

"You're being shy," the ginger Lion smiled, nudging her slightly. "Now, about our anniversary."

"Yeah, yeah. I forgot." She gave another long yawn and turned to the boy now sitting cross-legged on the floor, gazing up at them with an opened mouth, observing everything about these two doppelgängers. "See, I saved Loke's life on this day … how many years ago?" she asked.

Loke's eyes rolled up and counted on his fingers as he tried to calculate it. "If one day for me is three months for you, adding in a leap year…"

"Anyway," Lucy sighed, unwilling to wait, "I saved him from vanishing and convinced the Spirit King to give Loke a second chance. Because of that, his Gold Key came into my hands. I'm his owner and his friend. Today's the anniversary of that day. I missed seven years because of what happened on Tenrou Island, so I said I'd spend the whole day with him this year to celebrate. I'm sorry, Fireball, but I did promise."

"I see," he nodded. "Well, I don't really get it, I don't know what a Celestial Spirit even is, but it means he's your friend and you saved him, right? If you promised, you gotta keep it. Promises to friends are important and should always be kept. You should go with him, spend the day together." He smiled sadly, wondering about just how close Lucy was to this version of Loke.

"I'm supposed to look after you," she pouted. Then she glanced over to Loke. "Could we take him with us?"

"Lucyyyyy," he whined. "The reservations I got were only for two."

"I think I'd rather stay here," Natsu said quickly. "I don't want to be a third wheel, you know. I'll stay inside and just read or something."

"Are you sure?" she asked, feeling bad about leaving him.

He gave her a grin meant to be reassuring, but she could see it was forced. "I don't mind, really."

Lucy sighed as she realized Fireball was likely misunderstanding the situation and feeling like he was getting in the way of a date. And this outing with Loke was _absolutely not a date!_ "I'll get you some entertainment, at least." She pulled out two silver keys and raised them together. "Open the Gate of the Lyre! Lyra! Open the Gate of the Canis Minor! Nikora!"

Two puffs of smoke showed the angelic musician girl and the wobbly white dog. Edo-Natsu hid slightly from Lyra, but Plue intrigued him. Slowly, he held out his hand.

"Come here, little puppy," Fireball urged. Plue walked right up to him and said "Pu-puun!" It made the boy laugh. "He's cute. Hey, does he know any tricks?"

To show him, Plue started a silly little dance routine. Edo-Natsu began to laugh hard.

"The perfect distraction," Loke nodded in approval.

"Yeah," Lucy sighed. "He's like a total kid." Once again, she thought this version of Natsu was rather cute. She could see the playful side of Natsu in him, something she liked about Salamander. Fireball's smile was infectious, and soon Lucy was giggling along with him.

"Any song requests?" asked Lyra.

"Oh, you play songs?" Edo-Natsu asked in excitement. "Do you know _Drive Me Down That Sunset Road_?"

Lyra blinked in confusion. "No. I … I've never heard of that one. Ahh!" she cried in mortification. "A song I don't know! How could that be? I thought I knew all of them from all over the world."

"Don't worry, Lyra," Lucy chuckled. "Fireball's from another dimension."

"Well, it's not a hard song. I learned it as a kid," Fireball smiled, and he timidly began to sing.

_Drive me down that sunset road,_  
_Down that road that leads to home._  
_Drive me fast, don't drive me slow._  
_Drive me where you wish to roam._

_Drive me fast, don't drive me slow._  
_Let me reach my love real soon._  
_Drive me down that sunset road_  
_To see my love by the moon._

_I want to see her pale skin,_  
_Kiss her hair like burnished gold._  
_She's waiting for my return,_  
_So drive me down that old road._

_Drive me fast, don't drive me slow._  
_Speed on, sir, I can't be late._  
_Push this car fast as it'll go._  
_I have an important date._

_Drive me down that sunset road._  
_Sun slips down, the shadows grow._  
_I promised her I wouldn't go,_  
_So drive me down that sunset road._

"I know that song!" Lyra cried out. "Or at least the tune. It's called _Tell Me Where the Magic Grows_."

Lucy patted Lyra on the shoulder. "Take the opportunity to learn new songs."

"Oh yes! This will be lots of fun," Lyra nodded, then she began to squeal in excitement. "New songs! Yay!"

Edo-Natsu was entertained with Plue, and Lyra sang the tune Natsu just sung so she could commit it to memory. Satisfied with the arrangement, Lucy left to the bathroom, washed up, dressed nicely, and left with Loke.

The Lion shouted back, "Don't wait up for us."

Lucy yelled, "There is no way I'll let this turn into a date, you pervy Lion." Then they left.

Edo-Natsu slowly rose and walked to the window. He watched the street as Lucy and Loke stepped out. Loke held his elbow out for her, and with a pout Lucy accepted it. Despite seeming to fight the whole time, Fireball saw how her cheeks blushed.

"Hey Lyra?" the pink-haired teen interrupted. "You're one of those Celestial Spirit thingies, right? What do you know about Loke and Lucy's relationship?"

"Oh, I wrote a song about those two," she said cheerfully. "Would you like to hear it?"

"Yeah," he decided, and he sat on the bed with Plue on his lap to listen. Lyra strummed a solemn, mournful tune with moments of hope. Her sweet voice brought tears to Edo-Natsu's eyes.

_He was a lone man in the dry wasteland,_  
_Dying all alone._  
_To save a good friend, he would face the end,_  
_Now he must atone._

_She was a princess, beautiful heiress_  
_Making her own life._  
_Danger was her drive, she fought to survive,_  
_Reveling in strife._

_Far from home, life alone,_  
_She seeks a heart not turned to stone,_  
_Gentle maid, debts unpaid,_  
_He loved her yet was doomed to fade._

_He hid from her call, yet she could tell all,_  
_What he once had been,_  
_Knew his heart within, and went to save him._  
_She washed clean his sin._

_She risked her life then to save that poor man._  
_He soon fell in love._  
_He was hers now, see. Heart, soul, mind, and key._  
_Her knight from above._

_Save my life, save my soul._  
_I'll make your love my only goal,_  
_Want to fade, want to die,_  
_So please tell me why do you try?_

_In battle's strong heat, again did they meet_  
_Fighting side by side,_  
_Victorious stance, he took a huge chance,_  
_Feelings he can't hide._

_Her world is not his, her life's what it is,_  
_He knows this is so._  
_Yet he prays above to stars that his love_  
_May yet root and grow._

_Hid the truths, hid my eyes,_  
_I hid my fate with all my lies,_  
_For three years, played my part,_  
_But I could never hide my heart._

_Fighting for his maid, his debt slowly paid,_  
_He suffers with pride._  
_Star no more falling, he hears her calling,_  
_Then he's by her side._

_Brave wizards of light, together they fight_  
_Lion and Princess._  
_When there is danger, that's when he's by her,_  
_Distance regardless._

_Call my name, use my key,_  
_You can use every part of me._  
_I'm your knight from above._  
_Yours eternal, my dearest love._

_Save my life, save my soul._  
_I'll make your love my only goal._  
_This fool's life is now yours._  
_For you, my love, the Lion roars._  
_For you, my love, the Lion roars._

Edo-Natsu pouted after hearing the melancholy song. He almost pitied Loke and his hapless love with such an unobtainable princess.

"Their relationship is a lot closer than I imagined," he whispered. "In my world, Loke hated Lucy and she killed him. In this world, Loke feared Lucy but she saved him. I … I sorta like that history better." He absently petted Plue. "What about Lucy Heartfilia and Natsu Dragneel? What is their relationship like?"

"Oh, I have a song for that, too," Lyra smiled cheerfully. "Shall I play it?"

"Y-yeah," Edo-Natsu blushed. "But don't tell Lucy I asked to hear it."

Lyra gave him a knowing wink. "So long as you don't tell her I write songs about her love life."

* * *

Later that day, Lucy returned to find Fireball on the shikibuton taking a nap with Plue snoring on his stomach, while Lyra hummed a lullaby. She tiptoed around to keep from waking him. In the kitchen, she saw he already made dinner, and there were enough leftovers for her.

"That guy," she sighed with a plaintive smile.

She heard a yawn in the other room and came back to see Fireball stretching. "Sorry I dozed off," he apologized.

"You made dinner," she stated.

"Ah, yeah. Sorry for using your food, but since I wasn't sure if you'd be back or not, I made enough anyway." He looked at a clock. "I guess if it's this late, you already ate."

Lucy huffed angrily. "Our dinner was cut short when Loke began flirting with the waitress. I ended up throwing my soup at him and stormed out."

Fireball gawked in astonishment. "He was flirting while on your date?"

"It wasn't a date!" she snapped.

"But I thought … well, that is…" He blushed, scratched the back of his neck, and looked away. "It appeared that he really liked you. At least to me." He realized he had promised not to tell Lucy about Lyra's ballad regarding the two of them.

"Loke _claims_ he loves me, then he goes and dates other girls. Whatever," she grumbled. "That's just the sort of guy he is."

"Sorry," Fireball mumbled.

"It's no one's fault. He means well; he just can't help himself." She forced herself to smile. "I could use a little more food."

"Ah, you rest. I'll fix it," he offered quickly and bounced up from the shikibuton.

"You're so thoughtful," Lucy smiled. "Sheesh, I wish the other men in my life were like you. Loke adores me but could never be constant. Gray seems sweet but then strips naked. Natsu … don't get me started on that guy!"

Fireball glanced back suspiciously. "What's the matter with Salamander? He's your teammate, so I figured you two would be close."

"Well, for one he's clueless. He does the most annoying things and doesn't even understand why they're annoying even if I try to explain it."

"Annoying? Like … flirting?" Fireball asked cautiously, trying hard to keep his voice neutral.

"Flirting? Hah!" she shouted in a barking laugh of irony. "No way. I've never once seen him do anything like that. I think he barely realizes there's a difference between men and women."

Dragion laughed tensely at that. "At least he's not a pervert."

"No, he is. Or he's starting to become one. I've seen him looking at my panties. It's like he's just now reaching puberty."

He brought over a plate of food for Lucy and something to drink for himself. "Maybe he's finally noticing because it's you."

Lucy blinked in confusion. "Me? What do you mean?"

Fireball chuckled to himself as he settled onto his seat at the dining table. He could see that both Lucy and Salamander were rather slow at seeing the emotions a person can hide deep within. "Maybe you triggered him. He grew up in Fairy Tail too, right? Sort of like me. I grew up with Cana and the rest, so I don't think of them in any special way. However, Lucy Ashley came much later. We were both grown by then, so I noticed her a bit. Don't tell her that, though. She'd beat me to a pulp."

"I won't say a word." Lucy thought it was cute that this bashful boy had a crush on her alternative self. She ate a bite and saw him sitting there with only a cup of tea. "You don't have to sit and watch me eat," she told him.

"It's not a problem. Besides, it's boring to eat alone. If I sit here and we talk, it makes the meal more enjoyable."

She laughed and shook her head. "See, again you act so differently, as thoughtful as Loke but without the playboy attitude."

"Yeah, Ashley can't stand playboys."

"Then Edo-Lucy and I have something in common," Lucy mumbled.

"So what type of guy does Princess like?"

She eyed him suspiciously, but the pink-haired teen looked like he was simply trying to keep a conversation going. She supposed it was harmless to tell someone like him. _He'll probably be gone by the end of the week anyway. Such a shame!_

"I want someone who's caring, thoughtful, romantic, and funny. Someone who likes to read would be great, or at least someone who will give me some peace and quiet when I want to write. I don't want someone conceited, or someone who flirts with lots of girls. And not destructive! Someone who's neat, showers when he smells, cleans up after himself … a guy who likes candlelit dinners and stargazing. Oh, and he has to be able to cook, or if not then he should be rich enough to hire a chef, because I hate cooking every day. Talking about cooking, this food is surprisingly good," she said before shoveling a forkful into her mouth.

"Do you really like it?" he beamed happily. "It was a recipe I learned from my dad."

"Delicious!" she said with her mouth full. "I want you to tell Mira how to make this so I can order it when I eat at the guild."

"I'm happy you like it so much."

"So, you learned this from your dad? Was his name Igneel?"

"Y-y-yeah!" he stuttered out in surprise. "How did you know?"

"That's the name of the dragon who raised Natsu."

"Dragon!" Natsu cried out. "Do you mean the Igneel of your dimension is a … a … dr-dr-dragon?"

"According to Natsu, yeah."

"And … and so is Salamander … is he really a dragon?"

"No, he's human. He was adopted by Igneel."

Fireball fell silent and looked down into his drink. Lucy was shocked that their conversation stopped so suddenly. She looked up from her dinner plate and saw the pink-haired boy looked upset with a furrowed brow.

"What's wrong?" she asked, dabbing a napkin to her lips.

"Adopted, huh?" Edo-Natsu mumbled keeping his eyes cast down. "I wonder, does that mean I was adopted, too? Was Dad … Igneel … not my real father?"

"Oh!" Lucy squeaked out. "I … I don't know. I mean, Natsu has never talked about his real parents. Maybe in your dimension, Igneel is your real dad. Did he look like you?"

"I guess. We both have pink hair."

"Well, that's not exactly a common color. Sounds like in your case, Igneel was your birth father."

"I wonder," the boy pouted.

"Hey, you know what?" she said, hoping to cheer him up. "There's a lady around here who used to live in Edolas. Porlyusica went by the name Grandeeney, who was Wendy's adopted dragon mother here in Earthland."

"Wendy was also raised by a dragon?" Edo-Natsu gawked. "Sheesh, you wizards of Earthland are weird."

"Hey, I had a normal life."

"You were a princess."

"An heiress. Big difference."

"Yeah, but you weren't a yakuza like Lucy Ashley."

"Do you think _that_ is normal?" Lucy huffed.

"No … no, I guess not. And my life with Dad wasn't exactly normal. I think maybe I'd like to meet this Porlyusica lady. Maybe she knows my dad."

"No," Lucy frowned. "We already asked. Still, we can go and talk to her … if she doesn't chase us away for being smelly," she muttered, rolling her eyes slightly. "Besides, I'm sorry I left you alone all day. Master Makarov told me to watch over you."

"I was fine," Fireball insisted.

"I promise to spend the entire day tomorrow with you," she decided. "Where would you like to go?"

"I … I don't know," he admitted. "I'm not even sure what's in this city."

"Then I'll take you on a tour," she grinned. "There's lots to see. Magnolia is a great city."

He smiled happily. "I'm sure I'll love it if Princess is with me."

Hearing him call her that made Lucy blush. She looked down at the meal and poked at it a bit. An entire day with Fireball sounded like a lot of fun, but she wondered if it was the best thing to do. What if people saw them, mistook him for Natsu Dragneel, and thought they were on a date? What if he grew too attached to her—not her to him, no, of course not!—then when it was time to go home, wouldn't Fireball be sad?

Still, she had to do something to keep him occupied. Keeping distracted with the tourist spots was better than spending the entire day all alone, just the two of them. That would be far more awkward.

Fireball suddenly yawned and belatedly covered his mouth.

"Ah!" Lucy realized. "I woke you up. I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine. I just needed a nap. Being in this house is so peaceful, it makes me sleepy."

"Go ahead and lie down. I'll clean up dinner and get my bath."

"Okay. I'm glad you had fun, Princess. It's good to know you and Loke are friends here. That's a big relief." He walked back over to the shikibuton and curled up on it. "I'm always so worried about Lucy because of all her enemies. Between Fairy Tail and the Ashley family's yakuza connections, and people she pisses off, Lucy has a lot of enemies. I wish," he yawned again, "I could do more. I wish … I could … protect … Lucy." He instantly began to snore.

Lucy sighed at how sweet this version of Natsu was. Fireball was such an interesting guy once he opened up a little.

"I wish I knew more guys like this," she said wistfully.

**End of Chapter 4**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _"Drive Me Down That Sunset Road" and "For You the Lion Roars" are my own lyrics. So … copyright by Rhov?_ XD _On AdultFanFiction, this story was actually hidden by the admins for a while and I got a warning for not citing my sources. Apparently, the mods thought the lyrics were from professional songs and I was plagiarizing. Nope! The lyrics to both songs are my own and written specifically for this fanfic. I'm a musician and a poet, so I DO know how to write song lyrics. These are 100% my own work, NOT taken from any outside sources, NOT quoting or influenced by any songwriter._
> 
> _Wanna sing one of my songs? Please let me know._
> 
> * _Ms KClare wrote an arrangement of "The Lion Roars" for voice and piano and performed it. It's absolutely stunning.<https://soundcloud.com/ms-kclare/the-lion-roars>_  
>  * _Here it is sung by a reader, Rose Chan. A totally different interpretation, but lovely:<https://soundcloud.com/rhov/rose-chan-drive-me-down-that>_  
>  * _And a completely unique, more upbeat interpretation of the lyrics by WolfieANNE:<https://soundcloud.com/rhov/sunset-road>_


	5. The Other From Edolas

The next morning, Lucy awoke to the aroma of coffee filling the air and waking her senses. She truly could not remember the last time she had woken up to the smells of breakfast. It was nostalgic, and she found herself smiling even before opening her eyes. Moving slowly with sleepiness, Lucy rose from bed and wrapped a robe around herself.

She gave only a cursory brush to her hair with her fingers to get the frizzy ends soothed down, and finally she looked around the main area of the house. The shikibuton was already folded up, with the blankets crisply folded on top. In the kitchen, Edo-Natsu hummed some unfamiliar tune while making pancakes. At the soft sound of her slippers sliding over the floor, he looked over from a griddle and grinned widely with a shy blush on his cheeks. He was already cleaned up, dressed, and wore Lucy's bright pink Kawaii Kitty apron trimmed in white ruffles. It made her chuckle to see Natsu wearing such a frilly thing, yet it matched surprisingly well.

"Morning, Princess!" he called cheerfully. "Sorry for using your kitchen again. I wasn't sure what to make, but everyone loves pancakes, right?"

"Fireball, you are amazing," she sighed happily. "You look like you're having fun, too."

He laughed and flipped the pancakes over on the griddle. "I don't get to cook much, so I love to go all out. There are sausages, and if you want I can scramble up some eggs."

"Just sausage for me," she said, then headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day. She looked in the mirror as she unbraided her blonde plaits. "That guy," she said to herself. "He's amazing. Why can't our Fairy Tail have a guy like that?"

They ate together with just some small talk about the weather and what they might want to see on their outing. Then the two headed off. Lucy grabbed her keys, and Edo-Natsu grabbed his goggles.

"Why do you wear those things all the time?" she asked.

"Eh? You mean these?" he asked, touching the goggles on his head. "My dad Igneel gave them to me. He was a famous race car driver, you know! They were his lucky goggles."

Lucy smiled to herself. Really, he and Salamander were so alike in some ways, and so opposite in other ways.

The morning was already getting warm, so Lucy had dressed in a short skirt and tank top. She realized Edo-Natsu was still wearing the same thing he arrived in. She had washed it along with her own clothes, but it would not do to wear the same outfit all the time.

"If you're going to be here for a week, maybe we should get you some clothes," she decided. "I'm sure Natsu wouldn't mind if you borrowed his, and you two should be the same size."

"I dunno," the teen pouted. "I feel bad taking from him without asking."

"Well, I'm not buying you new clothes," Lucy declared stubbornly. "I barely have money for food. Besides, I'll wash them before giving them back. They'll probably end up cleaner than whatever sorry state Natsu has them in now."

"If you're sure it's okay," he said uncertainly. "So, where are we going?"

"While it's still early, I want to take you to see Porlyusica."

"Oh, the one who's also from Edolas," he recalled. "Is she nice?"

"No, she's cranky," Lucy admitted, "but she might know something."

They went to the woods outside Magnolia and to the house of the pink-haired healer. Lucy rapped on the door, and a cranky roar greeted them.

"What do you want, you smelly humans?"

"Um...Porlyusica, it's Lucy Heartfilia from Fairy Tail," she shouted through he door, trying hard to sound cordial. "I have someone here who..."

"Is he hurt?"

"Uh, no."

"Is he mysteriously sick or possibly dying?"

"No, he..."

"Then I don't care." She opened the door with a broom in her hand like a weapon. "You two! It's just that celestial girl and dragon slayer. I don't want to deal with you kids. Now get away from here before..." She paused with her broom raised. Edo-Natsu had cringed down at her rage, grabbing Lucy's arm for protection. Porlyusica glared at him, making him shrink lower. Then she inhaled deeply. "You," she said in a soft, curious voice. "You're not the dragon slayer boy. No, you smell different...familiar. You're not from around here."

Lucy quickly introduced them. "This is Natsu Dragion."

Porlyusica's red eyes widened in a moment of surprise. "Dragion," she echoed in astonishment.

"He's Natsu's double from Edolas."

"Edolas...I see," the old healer mumbled. "How did you get here?"

"We don't know," Lucy explained. "We were wondering if we could talk for a while. Maybe you can help us."

She eyed the boy again, then set her broom aside. "Come in. I was just making tea. Touch anything and I'll kick your teeth in."

They sat, sipped tea, and Edo-Natsu told Porlyusica all that had happened. She listened and looked at him closely. Once he was done, she chased Lucy out so she could do a small medical exam. She made Edo-Natsu strip his clothes off and inspected every part of him while the boy blushed under her studious red gaze.

"Some bruises, but that's probably from the fight you wound up in," she hummed. "That's one nasty old scar on your hip."

"From a car crash when I was a kid," he explained, running a finger over the discolored, ragged scar. "It wasn't my dad's fault. Some drunk jerk hit us."

"Open your mouth and say _ahhh_." He did, and she slammed a tongue depressor down, nearly gagging him. Then she looked within his mouth. "Throat's fine. Tonsils are healthy. Good teeth, but I can smell that you didn't brush them after eating pancakes with extra syrup. You'll get cavities that way, you know."

"Ah ohn ahh a huughuth."

Porlyusical removed the depressor. "What?"

Edo-Natsu massaged his tongue on the roof of his mouth a bit first. "I don't have a toothbrush. I figured it'd be really gross to use Princ-...uh, Lucy Heartfilia's. I guess I can ask her to buy me one, although she said she's short on money. It should be okay if I only go a week without brushing, right?"

"No," Porlyusica said in a thudding tone. She opened a drawer and pulled out a thin, narrow box. "Here, take this one. Never been opened. Brush your teeth as soon as you get home. Take your oral hygiene more seriously."

"Gee, thanks!" Fireball grinned, accepting the gift.

"You shouldn't eat sweet stuff and not brush your teeth."

"I know. I love sweets, so I'm usually good at remembering."

The old healer glanced over. "You like sweets, huh? Not stuff that's hot?"

"Eww, no way! I can't stand hot or spicy food. Ice cream is the best. Cold and sweet!"

"Totally not like Salamander," she mumbled. Edo-Natsu tilted his head to the side in confusion. Without saying more, she shoved his head down and began to pick through his pink hair. "No bugs, that's good." Then she raised up and washed her hands. "Get dressed. You're healthy, although the differences between you and Salamander are pretty obvious: different muscle tone, different scars, a surprisingly large amount of calluses on your fingers."

"Ah, that's from working in the garage on my four-wheeler," Fireball explained as he buttoned his shirt back up.

"Four-wheeler," she hummed, pausing in her washing as she stared ahead. She shook some thought out of her head and continued to clean her hands. "So, you're a driver, huh?"

"I was," he frowned. "Edolas has no more magic, so there's no lacrima fuel."

"I see," she muttered. "As for how you got here, I have no clue. The world has changed a lot since I was in Edolas. Sounds like your adventure was an invention gone awry. I wouldn't even know how to help with that. There are ways to make it back, though. Makarov knows more about that. He offered to send me back a few times, but I came to love this world too much, smelly humans and all."

Natsu finished dressing and slid off her exam table. "Didn't you have family back in Edolas? Friends, coworkers, people who miss you?"

"Sure, but I also have friends here. I'll tell you this much, boy," Porlyusica warned sternly. "Don't stay in Earthland for too long. You won't want to leave."

He laughed lightly. "No problems there. Lucy Ashley would kill me if I stayed away for too long. Can...can I ask a personal question, Miss Porlyusica?"

"Depends," she said grumpily as she put her medical equipment away.

"Well, please don't take this wrong, but...your hair." He pointed timidly to her pink bun. "It's the same color as my dad's. I was wondering if you know a man named Igneel Dragion."

"Not familiar," she replied sharply.

"Oh...I see," he muttered, and his head lowered in disappointment.

"But," she added fast, "my sister married a man named Iagan Dragion. She was pregnant at the time that I came here. That was many decades ago. Could be your Igneel."

His whole face lit up. "Really? You think so? Then...then that makes you my..."

A knock on the door interrupted him. "Are you done?" Lucy called impatiently from outside.

"Not yet," Edo-Natsu squeaked out bashfully, and he dressed faster.

"I'm not saying we're related," Porlyusica clarified in a gruff tone. "I'm saying I know of another Dragion, that's all. Iagan was a mechanic. It could be he taught Igneel about vehicles. I don't know anything about them, so I can't say for certain."

"I see," Natsu blushed, looking down to hide his happiness. "I guess if I ever find Dad again, I'll just have to ask him."

"What I don't get," the old lady said, sniffing him again, "is why you smell so strongly of Edolas. I can tell you bathed recently, and your clothes were washed by Lucy since they smell like her now. Still, you have such a strong whiff of..." _Sniff-sniff!_ "...flowers?"

"Ah!" Fireball reached to his coat pocket and pulled out a squashed pink flower. "I picked it for Lucy back home, but when I came back to the guild she was in a bad mood. I didn't want her to see it, so I hid the flower in my pocket really fast. I'm afraid it got smashed when I jumped into Salamander's place and ended up in the middle of that fight. Still, you can have it if the smell is reminiscent." He grinned sheepishly. "Although, a fine lady like you deserves fresh flowers."

Porlyusica blinked in surprise. "Fine lady?"

"Fireball," Lucy called from outside.

"Ah! Sorry, Princess." He bowed respectfully to the old healer. "I apologize for taking up your time. Thank you for examining me, at least. It's good to know that traveling between dimensions didn't mess up my body. Good day to you..." He grinned widely. "...Great-aunt Porlyusica." Then he ran out the door and left with Lucy, letting her know his health was fine, showing her his new toothbrush, yet saying nothing about the possible relation between him and the aging healer.

Porlyusica stood in the doorway watching him go. She saw his smile and Lucy's laughs. "Nice kid. His eyes are the same color as my sister's, but his smile is like that rogue Iagan Dragion. Igneel..." She hummed to herself. "That other Natsu also asked about a guy called that. I wonder who Igneel really was. Anyway, this kid is nothing at all like Natsu...and that can be a big problem for both of them."

* * *

Lucy took Fireball on a quick trip around town. They visited the market, the docks, the cathedral, the rainbow sakura grove, and she showed him around all the main tourist areas. They took a detour to Natsu and Happy's house. Happy was nowhere in sight, so Lucy let herself in and picked some of Natsu's clothes, then left a letter for Happy in case he noticed that things were missing. With how messy the place was, she doubted he would have been able to tell.

As the sun set, Lucy took Fireball to an evening concert in Magnolia Theater. He was amazed by the magical instruments and their ethereal music. She could hardly help but giggle at his awestruck face and massive eyes when the instruments lit up and a screen above changed with color according to the chords, instrumentation, and emotional impact of the music.

They stopped for dinner at a ramen shop where they talked more. It was hard to get the shy boy to come out of his shell, but once he started talking about Edolas' Fairy Tail, Lucy no longer had to coach him. He could have talked about them all night long.

"So your Levy and Gajeel..." She gawked upon hearing about their rather intimate relationship.

"Yep," he mumbled with an embarrassed flush. "They're due to marry on Blessing Day, which is one of our harvest holidays. I guess it was bound to happen. They've been flirting for ages, but...well...we didn't expect to catch them like...like _that_."

Both of them blushed, Edo-Natsu from some naughty memory he had witnessed, Lucy because she wondered if her own Levy and Gajeel had done _that_ already.

"There's one problem, though," the boy muttered as he used his chopsticks to poke at some chicken in his ramen. "Gajeel wants Levy to live with him in Royal City. He has a good job there with the newspaper. However, since Levy is the one always inventing things, she's in the biggest trouble. She really can't settle down. Even if Gajeel somehow manages to get her another royal pardon from King Jellal, I doubt she'll agree to his inspectors and all the regulations."

"I see," Lucy muttered. "That could strain any relationship."

He popped a slice of chicken into his mouth and looked around the small ramen stand. "I always wished my guild could have lived in a city instead of leaping around all the time, always on the run and in danger. Especially seeing Magnolia and how well-respected Fairy Tail is around here, I wish my guild could be like that. I think most of the others like being a dark guild, not following anyone's rules but our own. However..." He trailed off sadly.

"Don't tell me you want a simple, peaceful life," she chuckled. That would be the opposite of Salamander Natsu, so she guessed it must be so.

"Yeah," he admitted bashfully, "but I know I won't get it. After you guys left and King Faust was ousted, I had really hoped we could settle down. You know, new king, new rules, a whole new world, a fresh slate. It was nice for a while, but it didn't last long. Lucy could never settle down, and Levy is wanted by the king since she made so many dangerous inventions. Now we're back to how we were before, always in trouble, always running." He laughed it off, but Lucy saw a wistfulness in his eyes. "I almost wish I could stay here. It's like a vacation, and this city is so wonderful. I thought it'd be scary, but it's not. Maybe because Princess is here with me, so I know I'll be safe," he grinned, then blushed and hid his face down into his ramen bowl.

Lucy said nothing, but she felt a little sad to know that he was not completely happy in Edolas. "I guess...maybe I wish that, too," she muttered. "It's nice having someone like you around. I'm always getting dragged onto insane missions. I knew being in a magic guild wouldn't be an easy job, and I do like a little adventure, but sometimes I wish it could be a little less fatally dangerous."

Edo-Natsu looked up in surprise, then laughed nervously and looked away again. "We're a lot alike, aren't we, Princess?"

"I guess we are," she mumbled.

They said nothing else through dinner.

They strolled back through a balmy summer night, walking along the river together so close they could have held hands, except neither was about to be that bold. Lucy hopped up to the ledge and walked along like she normally did. It made Fireball freak out far worse than the boatmen ever did, but his pleading for her to be safe just made her laugh. It felt good thinking that she was the brave one in this situation. They returned to her place and took their shoes off at the door.

"Well...um...I'll...um...get my bath, if that's okay with you," he muttered. "Or do you want one first? That's fine, too."

"I want to write a little first. You go ahead," she said, waving him on.

While he went into the bathroom, Lucy sat down to write in her journal. She could hardly help but write mostly about her extra-dimensional house guest.

"He's a sweet guy, Mama," she wrote. "On one hand, I hope he's not stuck here like Porlyusica, only because I know his friends in that other Fairy Tail would miss him. Still, I hope he can stay a while longer. Back in Edolas, he's in a dark guild, always on the run. I can't even imagine that! Especially not for someone as sweet as him. He deserves a break, some fun, some stability." She bit on the tip of her pen, trying to organize her thoughts. "I'm glad he can be here, see what a normal life is like...if you can call this normal." She realized he was taking an abnormally long time in the bathroom. "Really, though, I miss having my house to myself."

She concluded the letter and tucked it away. Lucy was getting tired and still needed a bath, so she crept up to the door to listen in. She was about to knock and ask if he was okay when she heard strange, soft sounds.

"What...?"

She paused as she realized Fireball was panting hard. Her brow crunched up. Why in the world was he breathing so heavily? Did he get hurt? Was the steam getting to him? Or was it something...different? Slowly, a dirty thought came into Lucy's mind and made her whole face burn red.

"No way! Not in my bathroom." She almost felt angry, but she did not want to accuse him falsely. Lucy listened more, hoping to tell if she was right or not. "It's something else, right? After all, it could be anything. Maybe he does...exercises...yeah, exercises. At night. In the bathroom."

Even she rolled her eyes at such a lame idea.

"Haahn," she heard him moan so softly, she never would have heard the sound from her bedroom. "God, that feels good."

Lucy gulped hard to get her heart out of her throat and settle her fluttering stomach. "Is he really...doing _that_?"

The heavy breathing and occasional groans on the other side of the bathroom door made Lucy squirm. She tightened her thighs together as she felt moistly aroused at the thought of what he was doing in her bathroom.

And _why_ was he doing that? Why would he be so aroused as to use someone else's bathroom for something like _that_?

Her hand reached to the doorknob. She could probably open it silently and see if she was right. Not knowing would trouble her all night long and lead to suspicions. However, what if he really _was_ doing something naughty? Would she leave it at that, or should she demand him not to do such things in her house? What if he saw her spying on him? What if he begged her to assist him with those large, pleading eyes of his?

Slowly, her fingers pulled back. This situation was far too complex. Besides, she was unsure if she wanted to watch any man, most of all Natsu, jacking off.

"Lucy," she heard Edo-Natsu hiss so softly, if her ear had not been flush against the door, she never would have caught it.

Her eyes went massive, her heart jolted so hard her chest hurt, and all the blood rushed to her cheeks. She completely stopped breathing, as if keeping utterly silent might let her hear that what he said was _not_ what she thought she heard.

"Nngh...Lucy!"

Lucy? Which Lucy? Her or Ashley? Who was he fantasizing over? She really wanted to know, yet she was terrified to find out.

Lucy's heart pounded so hard, she could barely hear anything else. Her own breath began to match the fast pace of Fireball's. Her hand drifted down, sliding down her stomach and to the waistband of her skirt. She had slipped her hand beneath the fabric down to the second knuckle before stopping with a hitch to her throat.

"No!" she scolded herself, and she pulled her hand away fast. "This is wrong. He must like Lucy Ashley. So stop it, Lucy. Just stop it!" Her hand fisted up, and she dug her nails into her palm in self-punishment. "Idiot," she mumbled. "He doesn't even belong in this world." She marched back to the main room, turned off the lights, and dived deep into her blankets without getting dressed for bed. She simply needed to hide from the temptation.

Still, the images in her head refused to go away. She simply could not imagine Natsu doing _that_. Not even her Natsu, who was a bit perverted at times, and certainly not like this bashful, timid Natsu. She wondered how he looked in the midst of such pleasure, how pink his face would go, how his mouth opened as he shuddered in bliss. What did he look like _down there_? She had seen Gray lots of times, but Natsu...what was he like? Cana told her that guys looked very different when aroused than when they were normal, like how she had seen that ice stripper.

Lucy squirmed down into the sheets. She hardly realized she had begun to touch herself, running her hands over her massive breasts and lightly scratching over the nipples until they hardened, wrinkled, and perked out on the tips. Her forefinger and thumb lightly twisted the hardened pink nub, making her face tense up. A moan bubbled up, yet she squelched it in her throat before it became audible. She undid her skirt, slid it plus her underwear off, and dropped them over the edge of the bed, getting rid of at least that much. Then her hand slid down her stomach, over the tuft of hair, and her finger slipped along the soft slit. She was absolutely drenched, and the juice covered her middle finger. She felt her clit and rubbed it softly in tiny circles, just enough to make her shiver.

Lucy whined quietly and blushed. Even on normal nights, touching herself like this was embarrassing, something shameful that proper girls were not supposed to do. Knowing she was doing it with a boy in the next room—a boy who was touching himself at the same time and moaning her name—made Lucy squirm. The feeling of shame, of being a naughty girl, intensified her arousal. She licked her dry mouth and tasted a light layer of sweat on her upper lip.

Just as she was about to plunge her finger inside, she heard the door creak open. She froze in shame, held very still, and gulped hard in horror.

It was him! He was done with the shower. She heard his feet shuffle, then pause near the doorway between the bathroom and the main room. She had turned the lights off without thinking that he would need to see how to get to his little mattress on the floor.

"Lucy," he whispered into the darkness. Instead of the trembling whispers or meek squawks, his voice sounded deep, sultry, a little husky. Natsu Dragneel had spoken with that sort of serious tone before, and hearing her name called like that always gave Lucy a shiver. She had more than once thought that she wanted a man to say her name like that.

Now here he was!

She heard his feet step in slowly, and Lucy closed her eyes tightly like a child playing hide-and-seek. _If I close my eyes, he can't see me_ , she said teasingly, knowing it didn't work that way.

She heard fabric and realized he was dressing for bed. _He's dressing! Here! In the main room! He's naked, right now._ The temptation to turn around and watch him was overwhelming. Her hand was still between her thighs, her finger poised between the soft, inviting lips of her sex, but now she dared not move even to pull it away. She just hoped he went to bed soon.

Instead, she heard his feet walk over to the side of the bed, bumping the table a little as he moved in the dark. Was he coming to seduce her? Was his passion not worked off in the bathroom? Had she made a noise and he heard it? Did he want to assist her, touch her, help her to work off this insatiable lust that had too suddenly taken over her ability to reason? Or was he simply there to watch her sleep? Had he been watching her the past two nights?

Just how perverted was this Natsu Dragion?

Really, she hardly knew him, yet she let him right into her house. She knew what Cana said about "it's always the quiet boys." Just what sort of man was Fireball?

Or did she actually hope he would do something? If he did, would she stop him?

She honestly was not sure.

"You must have been exhausted," he sighed softly, speaking in a low whisper. "Walking all over town just for me...I was hoping I could thank you."

 _Thank me? Thank me how? By offering to do_ that _? No, he can't mean it that way!_

She felt hot air on her ear. If she had truly been asleep, that would have woken her in a jolt, and she just might have thrown Edo-Natsu through the window before knowing it was him.

"I wish Lucy Ashley was like you, Princess," he sighed, and he kissed her head. "Thank you for being so nice to me. Sweet dreams."

With that, he turned and walked away. She heard the shikibuton rustle as he crawled down into it. There was a deep, heavy sigh, then no other sounds. She opened her eyes and stared out the window. Her heart thudded in her chest, and she knew her cheeks must have turned a bright scarlet.

_What the hell did he mean by that?_

**End of Chapter 5**

* * *

_A/N: Iagan is a Scottish name meaning "tiny flame." I have no clue if Porlyusica is Igneel's aunt. She claims she has never seen him or Metalicana, but I like to think they're all related somehow._

_In other news... Kawaii Kitty returns! Some readers have noted that I use that fictitious Fiore clothing brand a lot in my stories. In my mind, it's like Hiro Mashima's Heart Kreuz, but more girlie. It started in_ Lion's Pride _, got used in_ Kitty Licks _, and has popped up here and there in my fics. I've seen other fanfic writers refer to it as well, which makes me giggle, like I've started a trend. Long live Kawaii Kitty!_


	6. Torture and Tenderness

"Lucy," Natsu moaned. The dragon slayer was writhing on the floor, his face tense, his teeth clenched, as he panted heavily. "Oh God...dammit...Lucy!"

A bead of sweat slowly dripped down from his forehead, slipped over his temple, just below his ear, and got lost within the white scarf. He hissed at an intense sensation and exhaled hard with a groan. The dragon slayer opened his eyes to look below him, then tensed hard, and his back arched up from the floor.

"Oh fuck! Lucy," he cried out in a husky voice. "Ahhhh! Stop!"

A smooth voice spoke calmly. "I'm not finished with you yet, Natsu."

"Stop it, Ashley!" he screamed.

She smirked at his struggles. "How about we go a little deeper?"

Natsu tried to back away. "Please...please, no more. I can't take it... _nnnnngh!_ " Something she did made his whole body tense up until the veins popped on his neck. Then relief came, causing him to shiver after such pain. "Oh wow!" he moaned heatedly, and his mouth hung open in a brief moment of pleasure.

"Feels good, right?" Edo-Lucy asked, already knowing he would never answer honestly. Sure enough, all Natsu did was groan. "A bit faster?"

"No way!" he cried out, but suddenly he screamed as her actions sped up. "No more. I've had enough. I can't...I can't take it."

"Sure you can." The short-haired blonde's face made little sneers of exertion every time she pushed herself against him. At each thrust, Natsu cried out, only to moan as she backed off. "This is how I do it for Fireball. He loves how I touch him. Do you love it, Natsu?"

"No," he sniffled, cringing away from the pain. "Stop it, Lucy."

"That's what he always says," she chuckled softly. "Yet the next day, when he's not sore, he always thanks me. You'll see. Come tomorrow, you'll be thanking me and begging for more."

"No, please." He screamed as she did something else to his body, and all of his nerves felt like they were touched by god-slayer fire. "Ahhhhhhh!" he howled. Natsu clawed at the floor, drawing out curled gratings of wood. "I'm...I'm gonna..."

In the middle of this, Edo-Levy walked up and stared down at them. She folded her arms and shook her head. Lucy Ashley glared over at her.

"What do you want, Levy? I'm sorta busy right now."

"You're getting really loud," the blue-haired woman warned. "It's annoying the rest of the guild."

"Fuck them! Oh wait, you only fuck Gajeel now," she stated in a snarky tone.

Natsu roared angrily. "I'm gonna _kill you_ , Ashley."

Levy's eyes narrowed. "You're a sadistic bitch, Lucy Ashley. If he tells you to stop, you should stop."

"He loves it," the blonde said dismissively.

Natsu flipped over and tried to crawl away. "Get me out of here, Levy. Make her stop."

The blue-haired mechanic gave him a haughty smile. "What's the magic word?"

Just then, Lucy Ashley did something to him, and Natsu howled out a curse. "For the love of all that's holy, please!"

"Mmmm, men look so juicy when they beg," Edo-Levy growled. "All right, Lucy. You've had your fun. Let Natsu go."

The blonde had Natsu by one bare foot, giving him what she called "The Ashley Ultra Deep Foot Massage," which involved driving her knuckles into the most tender parts of his feet. Natsu had never known pain (and pleasure) quite like it. For how agonizing her technique was, the foot she had already worked on felt sore but amazing. It was the torture of making it through the actual massage that nearly killed him.

"One more nerve," Edo-Lucy said. She twisted her knuckle deep into his foot, thrusting her whole body into it with a grunt of exertion.

To Natsu, it felt like razor blades and shards of ice slicing into a nerve. He punched the floor so hard, the wood broke and splintered. "Fuck! Lucyyy!"

Finally, she released him and stood up. Lucy Ashley shook out her hand and cracked a few over-worked knuckles. She looked down at her prey collapsed on the floor, completely unable to move, pink hair sweaty, whimpering soft cries as he panted heavily. This was how she loved to see her men. She licked her lips enticingly, yet she refrained from touching him any more than this.

"We're done for this session," she declared. She squatted in front of him and yanked his chin up. Natsu gazed at her with tears and terror in his eyes. His lips quivered as he tried to hold back from outright sobbing. "It was good, right?" she asked sardonically.

Natsu's voice rasped out of his choked throat. "Go to hell."

"You're welcome." She dropped his chin, then walked away with Levy, already discussing plans on what to do about dwindling food supplies for the guild.

Natsu sniffled and moved slowly. His legs did not want to work at all. He was pretty certain there was no way he could stand or walk. That had been Lucy Ashley's plan all along. Three times already, Natsu tried to run away from this crazy guild. That morning, she had said something about 'making sure he couldn't escape,' and then she attacked him with a foot massage that could have been an illegal form of torture.

Suddenly, someone touched his ankle. Fearing another attack, Natsu recoiled fast and gasped as he looked back. However, it was Edo-Wendy knelt beside him, smiling kindly with a twinkle of friendliness in her eyes.

"Just me," she said softly to calm him down. Then she held up a floppy bag that slushed slightly. "An ice pack. It'll help take down the swelling. That way you can walk within a few hours instead of a few days."

"Th-thank you," Natsu mumbled, shocked that someone was actually caring for his well-being. He managed to roll over into a sitting position, and Wendy carefully put the ice pack over his feet. "Haha, you're just like Wendy back home, always coming to heal others."

"I'm no healer," she shrugged. "I simply know how the Ashley Ultra Deep Foot Massage can immobilize a person for a week."

She adjusted the ice pack to rest on the soles of his feet. Then Wendy scooted over to sit beside him on the floor. She folded her legs up and hugged them as she looked at Natsu's face. This position made her breasts squeeze together, which was precisely what she wanted, to show off her greatest assets.

His face, hair, eyes, smile...it was all like the Natsu she knew, yet Natsu Dragion only had such intense eyes when he was in his car. Wendy had always thought he looked sexy that way, but once he was away from transportation, his whimpering annoyed her. This man was the opposite. Those hard, squinty eyes made Wendy's heart flutter, and the way he stood up to Lucy, Levy, even Jet and Droy was impressive. Many of the girls in Fairy Tail were talking about Salamander, but they were only talking. Wendy was a woman of action.

"We should get you to a bed," she decided, then glanced around the guild to see who was available. "Nab!"

The workaholic glared over. "What?" he snapped. "I'm busy."

"I have a job for you. It'll take only a minute. I need you to carry Natsu. You work so hard," she smiled flirtatiously, "so you're the best for the job, right?"

He scoffed softly, yet her words were his weakness. If it was work, Nab was the first to volunteer. "Fine. I'm not quite so busy right now." Nab walked up and saw the bruised feet. "The Ashley Ultra Deep Foot Massage, eh? I pity you." Then he tried to lift Natsu up, but the weight shocked him. "Damn! You're twice as heavy as Fireball."

"Solid muscle," Wendy purred softly. She bit her bottom lip as she saw how much trouble Nab had lifting this buff Natsu. Dragion was so lightweight, even Wendy could have lifted him a little bit, although not carried him as far as the sleeping quarters. Seeing Nab strain made her even more excited about this other Natsu.

The sleeping quarters were up the stairs and in the back of the tree-like guild. It was morning, so the men's quarters were empty. Women were usually not allowed inside, but Wendy walked right in. Nab practically dropped Natsu down onto the bed Fireball usually slept in. Then grumbling that he had to get back to work, the huge man left. Wendy readjusted the icepack onto Natsu's feet and sat beside him.

"You'll need to rest for a while," she told him. "Even the hardiest men can't walk for a few hours after a massage like that."

"She's a devil," Natsu grumbled. "Everyone in this guild is so messed up. Well," he amended, "not you, Wendy. And not Mira, she's exactly the same. But the others are just plain weird."

"We're not all that bad, right?" Wendy asked, scooting a little closer to him. Hearing that she was on his _not-weird_ list was encouraging.

"You guys aren't...bad," he mumbled. "Just weird, I guess. Gray clings to me."

"Gray Surge and Natsu Dragion are best friends," the busty woman explained. "It's only natural that he misses Fireball, so he's trying to be friendly with you."

"Yeah, and I hate it!" Natsu yelled. "Gray Fullbuster and I are rivals, so even seeing Gray's face pisses me off. And then there's Cana. She invites me to tea parties every day, and she's so immensely polite about it that I can't turn her down. Juvia isn't too bad, but she's so cold, and she dresses weird. Lucy either screams at me, hits me, tortures me, or she purposely ignores me when I try to talk to her about going home."

Wendy flinched a little to hear him talking about leaving them so soon. "But we're not all annoying, right?" she pouted.

"No. I mean, I get along well with Elfman and Mira. They're always asking me how Lisanna is doing. Elfman reminds me of the old Elfman, before he became obsessed with manly stuff."

"Manly?" Wendy tittered softly. "That's how Elfman used to be long ago, before Lisanna died. And Mira was a total demon."

Natsu laughed. "Yeah, I remember Mira used to be like that."

"So see," Wendy said, leaning against his shoulder now. "We're not so different." She traced the red Fairy Tail guild mark on his arm, feeling the sinuous muscles underneath his burning hot skin. "Fairy Tail is always close, no matter what dimension. We're a guild, no matter how the people may act. We worry about each other, care for each other..." She moved in a little closer, pressing her voluptuous chest against his arm. "...love each other."

She stared into Natsu's face, hoping he would get her blatant hint. However, the dragon slayer stared off vacuously, his brow tense, obviously troubled by something. Although frustrated, she sympathized with him. Wendy's parents and siblings died in a wind storm when she was young. She was eventually adopted into the guild and grew up amongst them. She missed her family, and she missed the members who died when they were on the run from Knightwalker and the Fairy hunters. She thought she knew how Natsu felt, finding himself alone, amidst weird people, and missing his friends. Slowly, she backed off. It was a bad time to try and seduce this mysterious man.

"Even if we're weird, we'll take care of you," she promised.

He looked over in a jolt, as if her words had interrupted some deep thought. "Yeah, I...I didn't mean anything bad. Just keep Ashley away from me."

Wendy laughed softly. "I'll try. I've protected Fireball from her many times. Women aren't allowed in the men's sleeping quarters, so you're safe in here."

"Then why are you here?" he asked. "Will you get into trouble? I don't want you in trouble."

She shrugged lightly. "For today, I'm a healer, right?"

That made Natsu smile widely. "Sometimes, you're a lot like Wendy Marvell. I like that." Edo-Wendy blushed slightly. "Still, maybe you should go." Her brows tightened again at his words. "I don't wanted you to get into trouble," Natsu explained sincerely. "If Lucy did something torturous to you, I'd feel really horrible."

That caring attitude affected Wendy deeply. "All right. Before I go, are you sure you don't need to get up? Bathroom or anything?"

He blushed fiercely. "Yeah, I...um...kinda have to go...a little."

Wendy cracked a smile. For a moment, he sounded exactly like Dragion.

Natsu took her hidden laugh the wrong way. "Never mind. It's not far, I'll just walk."

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, but Wendy was right there with him. She grabbed his arm and yanked it over her shoulder.

"I'm a healer today, right?" she reasoned.

She helped him, taking a shocking amount of weight from him, yet she bore under it, flushed to feel his muscles tensing and stretching around her. Natsu hissed, cussed, and flinched at each slow step. It was only twenty feet to the men's bathroom. Wendy was highly tempted to stay and watch, yet Natsu cleared his throat to silently let her know he wanted privacy, even if that meant standing unassisted.

Wendy left, but she stayed right by the door. Inside, she heard the urine flowing and heard Natsu let out a quiet moan of relief. She shifted her thighs as naughty thoughts infested her mind, dreamy images of what that penis of his looked like, kinky desires of having _something else_ squirt out of it and all over her. Wendy could hardly help but lick her lips in desire.

That had to wait. She still needed to win him over.

Natsu finally stepped out, and he blushed again when he realized she had probably heard him pissing. However, Wendy merely took his weight onto her shoulders and helped him back into bed.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Natsu hissed as he propped his feet back up onto the mattress. "Dammit, I hate that woman!"

Wendy smiled a little. She had been worried about Natsu and Lucy. He was definitely her type, but it seemed Salamander was not a masochist like Fireball. Lucy's _flirting_ was only pushing him away.

If he was the opposite of Natsu Dragion, did that make him a sadist?

Two sadists together would only clash and fight for dominance, whereas Wendy did not care one way or another. She would not mind a little roughness from such a strong man, to be tied down, spanked, brought to tears by how fierce he could be...no, she wouldn't mind that one bit!

Natsu scratched the back of his head in a nervous gesture. "Maybe this is a weird thing to ask, but...can you rub my feet? Not like a massage, but just to soothe out the bruising. The ice is helping a lot, but the nerves still ache really bad."

Wendy smiled complaisantly. "I have a cream that numbs. Once I put it on, you won't be able to feel your feet for an hour, so you'd be stuck in bed."

"Well, if you can stay in bed with me just that long, that'd be fine," he decided.

He said it so bluntly, Wendy blushed a little in embarrassment. Truly, this boy had no sense of shame before he blurted out things.

Wendy jogged off to the infirmary to fetch a little jar of numbing cream and some rubber gloves so the cream would not numb her hands. She secretly slipped back into the men's dorm, sat at the bottom of Natsu's bed, took one foot into her lap, and looked it over. Lucy Ashley had not been easy on him. The bottom of his feet were red and purple, and each toe was swollen. It was a sign of his endurance that he had even been able to walk to the bathroom. No other member of Fairy Tail put through that torture had the ability to walk for hours or days, yet Natsu had walked twenty steps there and twenty back mere minutes after such a brutal massage.

Before applying any cream, she leaned over and kissed his foot. Natsu flinched at that, and suddenly his whole face turned red. Wendy gazed up and smirked at the bashful expression.

 _So, the dragon slayer can be cute after all!_ She chuckled to herself before kissing another area of his foot.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Natsu eked out.

"Kissing to make it feel better," she answered casually, keeping her head down to hide her sly smile.

Then Wendy sucked Natsu's big toe into her mouth, licked it, and let it pop out. The dragon slayer squirming and shifting as he felt himself get weirdly aroused. He did not understand it, and it bothered him immensely. Although this woman was about his age, he kept picturing twelve-year-old Wendy while talking with her. However, when Edo-Wendy did something like that, the imaginary little girl vanished completely, and he was forced to see her as the voluptuous woman she was.

Finally, Wendy began to rub the cream onto the soles of his feet, gently using her fingers to soothe away the pain. The small hums of enjoyment from Natsu thrilled her and made her want to do so much more to him, yet she fought the temptation. From time to time, Wendy leaned over and kissed another part of his foot just before putting cream on that area. Natsu squirmed a little each time. A quick glance told her that he got semi-hard each time she did it, only to force himself back into equanimity.

_Foot fetish? That's surprising. Good to know!_

She was going to have a lot of fun playing with this dragon slayer! But not today.

Today...she was a healer.

She finished numbing his feet, wrapped them with the ice pack, carefully removed the rubber gloves, and rose up from the bed. Natsu looked drowsy now that the pain was numbed away.

"I'll bring tea that takes down swelling," she offered, speaking quietly as she saw that he was in a relaxed state. That was one thing about Lucy Ashley's massage. For how agonizing it was, once the pain subsided the victim's feet truly felt blissful.

Natsu hummed sleepily. "You're the best one here, Wendy."

Her brows drew together, happy yet with a tweak of uncertainty to them. The secretively wanton woman in her wanted to ride this man hard, yet sometimes she wanted to treat him like a little child. It was the same problem she had with Natsu Dragion, that dichotomy of sexiness and sweetness that drove her insane with frustration.

"You really are a lot like Fireball," she sighed, then left to fix the medicinal tea.

**End of Chapter 6**

* * *

_A/N: This is for all the fans who totally shipped NaWen back during the Nirvana Arc. She's too young for him, but Edo-Wendy is a perfect age...and she's sorta sweet in a manipulative sort of way. So who will Natsu fall for: the sadistic tormentor, or the scheming healer?_


	7. A Week in Earthland

**Four Days To Go**

Lucy woke up momentarily shocked to find herself naked in bed. She never slept naked! Especially not when she could wake up to find Natsu in bed with her.

Natsu!

Suddenly, she remembered why she rushed into bed so quickly and stripped out of her clothes. How was she supposed to face Edo-Natsu after hearing him making moaning noises like that in the bathroom? Merely remembering it made her cheeks burn. Grasping the covers to her chest, she bolted up and looked around her apartment. The shikibuton was folded up, with the blankets on top and his pajamas on top of those. She glanced around nervously. She had slept naked, and he was at the foot of her bed. He could have seen her. He _must_ have seen her!

Or maybe not. She had woken up with her blankets pulled to her chin, so maybe he did not know. She grabbed her housecoat and tied it extra tight around her. That should work until she could find clothes.

"Just four more days," she whispered to herself. Then she headed to the kitchen. Today, she smelled bacon and frying vegetables.

"Morning, Princess," Fireball called out cheerfully. "Spring veggie omelet with bacon and buttered wheat toast. Is that okay?"

"Y-yeah," she muttered, staring at him uncertainly. Was it just her, or did he look happier, more relaxed? His instant smile rather than cringing fear was awfully suspicious.

When the pink-haired boy heard her unsteady voice, he looked away from the stove and over to her in concern. "If you want something else, I can cook it. Let me know what you feel like. I can add meat or rice or just about anything. Just tell me."

"No...no, it's fine, really," she insisted, and quickly slipped into the bathroom to escape from him.

She could hardly help but search the bathtub, worried that he might have left a mess behind. However, the entire area was cleaned to a shine. She might have thought it was _too_ clean, except this was how Natsu Dragion left the bathroom every night. Or had he been doing _that_ every night, too?

After she dressed and took care of her morning needs, she sat at the dining table, still worried about what to do regarding this problem. There was no delicate way to bring it up. Besides, could she really insist that he not work off whatever lust he felt? If she did that, what if Edo-Natsu turned that lust onto her? That would be far worse. She was just coming to a decision to let the matter go when a steaming mug of coffee clacked in front of her. Lucy jumped and quickly drew away from her house guest.

"You look like you didn't sleep well," Edo-Natsu noted, and he took a seat beside her with a concerned look on his face. "Did you have a nightmare? Was I snoring? If I'm too loud, you just have to tell me to be quiet."

"No, you're...you're definitely quiet," she muttered. Lucy blushed as she remembered how she had placed her ear against the door to hear him. If she had not been spying, she never would have known.

"Is anything troubling you?" he asked, truly sounding like he sincerely wanted to be of assistance.

"It's nothing," she said, waving the matter aside. "I...I don't know what to do today. We saw most of the town already."

"Well, what do you normally do?"

Her face grimaced as she realized that her days off were actually quite boring compared to the insane adventures she went on while working with her teammates. "Usually, I sit at home to write my story, or go to the guild to talk to people. I also like going to the bookstore, but I'm short on money now."

He hummed, then Fireball got up again to dish out breakfast. "How about we just stay in today? We did a lot of walking yesterday, and my feet got really sore." He grinned back at her. "Hey, maybe you can call out that little white dog again. He was funny. I'll stay out of your way, I promise."

"Oh...okay," Lucy muttered. She had sort of hoped to go to the guild so she could get away from him, maybe whisper her concerns to Levy and see if she had any advice. With how stressed out she felt already, she had a feeling she would not get much writing done today.

Still, they stayed in. It was hot outside, so Lucy was not really in the mood to go out after noon anyway. Edo-Natsu stayed away from her while she was busy. If he and Plue made too much noise, he was fast to apologize.

It was a long day, and to Lucy, the stress of being together was driving her crazy. She kept glancing to him, but her eyes always wandered down to his crotch while lewd images haunted her mind. Through lunch and dinner, she had to face him, but they were both bashfully quiet.

When finally it was time for bed, Lucy asked to take the shower first. She did not trust what sort of mess might be waiting for her if she went second. She still felt weird soaking in her tub, wondering if he had done the act here or standing somewhere else. She bathed quickly and got out. While Fireball was in the bath, she stood near the door, listening in almost the whole time. She heard splashing, some soft hums of songs, but nothing suspicious.

Edo-Natsu eventually came out dressed in pajamas. They said very little to one another, and eventually Lucy said it was time to turn the lights off. Edo-Natsu pulled out the shikibuton, unfolded the mattress, and laid out his blankets neatly before climbing onto the bed. Lucy watched him, feeling a little guilty that he had to sleep on the floor, but he had yet to complain. Either her shikibuton was soft, or he did not have the nerves to complain. Likely the second option. She crawled into bed and hoped she could get at least a little sleep despite her worries.

* * *

**Three Days To Go**

The next day, they went to the guild. Lucy decided not to mention anything to Levy. It was a naughty secret she would keep to herself. After all, it was probably a one-time thing. Fireball definitely was not the sort of person who thought only about sex. He seemed to be as clueless about romance as Salamander.

Edo-Natsu tried to avoid others. He sat in a corner and looked around at everyone. This guild was bigger than the one back home. So many of the Edolas Fairy Tail's members had been killed by Erza Knightwalker and her troops. Here, he saw faces that were like ghosts. Other members were completely unfamiliar.

Seeing Laxus, Evergreen, Bickslow, and Freed made him want to cry. Laxus had been like a big brother to him at one time, and he died protecting Natsu from Knightwalker. Part of him wanted to go up to Laxus, hug him, cry into his chest like he used to do, and feel the man's arms hug him tightly. However, the lightning scar on Laxus' face and bulging muscles covered in tattoos were reminders that this was Earthland's Laxus, not the close friend he lost long ago.

Then one face that always troubled him a little walked up, a tiny old man with a bushy white mustache. Makarov handed Edo-Natsu a lollipop identical to his own candy, which confused the boy at first.

"It's a gift," the Master insisted. "Don't worry, I haven't licked it."

Fireball laughed nervously as he took the candy. "Umm...thanks."

"How are you and Lucy getting along?" asked Makarov.

"Oh...um...pretty well, I guess. She's easy to get along with."

"Good, good," the old man nodded. "I'm glad you came today. I haven't seen you since you first arrived."

"Oh! Uh, s-sorry," he cringed. "We...we've just been...you know, relaxing. Oh, but she showed me around the city a couple days ago. That was pretty neat."

"That's sweet of her," Makarov smiled with a friendly, grandfatherly face. "I see you have some of Natsu Dragneel's clothes, too." He pointed out the single-sleeved shirt Edo-Natsu wore.

"Yeah, it's a little baggy," he pouted, knowing that was because his muscles were smaller. He also thought the style was weird.

"Are you getting along well with others?" Makarov asked as he licked his own lollipop again.

"I...well..." He looked around at the guild again. "It's weird, you know. They look the same, but they act opposite from what I know. At least I know Lisanna, and Mira acts exactly the same."

"Then you should talk to them more," Makarov suggested.

"Yeah, I...I guess I could," he muttered. He slowly walked over and stood a little behind Lisanna. She had been one of the people he could always talk to, and he had to admit, he once had a bit of a crush on the old Lisanna, the one who died before this Lisanna arrived. He could barely remember that original version of her now—they had not been friends at all, he only stared at her from afar—so whenever he thought of Mira and Elfman's little sister, it was this Lisanna who came to mind.

"Um...uh...s-sorry..." he stuttered. Approaching others was the hardest thing for a shy person like him to do, even if it was a friend.

Lisanna looked around, and instantly she smiled. "Natsu! I'm so glad you're here. We hardly got a chance to talk so far. Come on, sit over here." She grabbed his hand, making the pink-haired boy blush, and yanked him over to the bar. "This is my brother—my real brother—Elfman, and my sister Mirajane. She's a lot like the Mira-nee back in Edolas, so you can treat her exactly the same."

"It's manly to make new friends," Elfman declared.

Mirajane smiled and handed Dragion a cold drink. "I've heard many stories about you from Lisanna, Fireball Natsu. Perhaps the two of you should go out some time and catch up." She gave him a wink that made the boy's throat clench tightly.

"Oh...no, no I...I c-couldn't," he stuttered, blushing all the way up to his ears. Right then, he wished he had Salamander's scarf so he could hide his face in it.

"Mira-nee, stop teasing him," Lisanna scolded. "Still, I'd like to sit and chat with you sometime. I love being back home, but I guess I'll always miss the friends I made over there."

"Yeah, I...I sorta know what you mean," he mumbled. "If I leave here, I'm gonna miss Earthland and its people." He gave a brief glance back to Lucy Heartfilia.

Lisanna held up a finger. "Not if. When!" she told him and winked her eye. "You can't give up hope of returning, not like I did. I honestly didn't think it was possible to get back home. Yet here I am," she grinned spreading her arms out.

Elfman thumped down his beer mug. "If you're a man, you don't give up hope."

Edo-Natsu shrank a little under the hard gaze of the muscular giant.

Lisanna nodded in agreement with her behemoth brother. "If I can make it back to my family, you can make it back to Edolas and your friends in the guild."

"Yeah, I...guess so," he muttered.

The guild hall was as noisy as ever, although somehow not a single fight broke out. Lucy realized that the guild was more peaceful without Natsu setting things on fire and challenging everyone to a fight. She missed him most when she sat here. It felt empty without the fire dragon slayer. Gray and Gajeel looked bored. Romeo frowned with worry while asking Wendy for all the information she knew about Edolas. Happy sat in a corner, curled into a blue ball of fluff while avoiding everyone in a fit of depression. The guild simply was not the same without Natsu.

After a couple hours spent talking with Levy, Cana, and Juvia, mostly answering questions about her extra-dimensional house guest, Lucy was startled by Lisanna bouncing right up behind her.

"Lucy!" the white-haired girl shouted happily, making the blonde jump. "Hey Lucy, can I steal Natsu away?"

Lucy swallowed hard at that. "St-steal him?"

"Yeah, just for the night."

Lucy's face paled a little. "You want him...for the night?"

"Sure," the petite girl grinned. "Mira-nee is making hotpot, and I invited Natsu. He wants to come, but he's scared of asking you. You still remind him of Lucy Ashley, and she's definitely a scary lady."

"Oh," Lucy frowned, a little sad that Fireball was still uncomfortable around her. "Yeah, sure, he can stay with you guys for as long as he wants."

"Aww, thanks, Lucy," Lisanna tittered, then she ran back over to her siblings.

Cana set down her beer barrel. "Ehhh? Isn't Lisanna being a lot more friendly to that Edolas boy than she was to our own Natsu?"

Juvia had to agree. "Of course, she lived with Fireball Natsu for years. It's not surprising that they have such a close relationship, probably a lot closer than she feels for any of us after only a short time being back in Earthland."

Lucy frowned, feeling like she was losing something. She looked at the pink-haired boy, wondering why she felt so sad. Edo-Natsu glanced back at her once. He blushed at seeing her watching him and gave Lucy a tiny smile. Just then, Elfman slapped him on the back, jolting Fireball back into the Strauss family's conversation.

"At least you'll get the house to yourself again," Levy said cheerfully to Lucy. "You were complaining about that just now."

"Y-yeah," Lucy mumbled petulantly. "I think I'll head back home. It'll be nice to eat alone again."

"Nice?" scoffed Cana. "I hate eating alone. That's why I always come here."

Levy giggled. "I thought it was for the beer."

"That too," Cana admitted.

Lucy left the guild hall, summoned Plue to accompany her, and walked along the river's edge back to her home, kindly waving at the boatmen who shouted at her to be safe.

Inside, the house was quiet. Lucy saw the shikibuton folded up neatly, with the blankets stacked on top. The only thing of his scattered around were some of his and Salamander's clothes. She picked up the outfit he originally arrived in and held it to her nose to sniff. Despite having been washed once already, it had a unique aroma, something like machine oil, rubber, and dust.

"It'll be lonely when he leaves," she realized quietly. "I guess...I'm getting used to living with someone. It's kind of nice."

She looked through her cabinets, but suddenly she did not feel like cooking. How could she possibly beat the gourmet meals Fireball could whip up with ease? She dreaded being alone at all. Being like this felt miserable, yet she also did not feel like heading back to the guild. That would be like admitting she missed the shy boy.

There was one way to keep herself from being lonely. She pulled out a golden key.

"Open the Gate of the Lion! Leo!"

Loke appeared dressed impeccably and bowed like a prince before his lady. "How may I be of service to my charming princess?"

Being called princess again felt good. "I'm...lonely," she confessed.

Loke raised an eyebrow to hear her say those words. He glanced around the silent house. "Isn't that Edolas lookalike here?"

"No, and it's too quiet. Loke, could you maybe..." Lucy looked aside, not sure if she was going to regret asking. "It's not a date," she insisted immediately and firmly, "but...could you take me out somewhere, just so I can have some company?"

The loyal Lion smiled and sighed silently in understanding. "Of course, Lucy. I'll even try to keep the flirting down to a minimum."

She had a reproving pout, but a tiny giggle still slipped out. "Gee, thanks...hehe!"

He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers nobly. "It's my pleasure to make my master happy."

Loke took her to a fine restaurant, paying for it out of the Jewels he still had saved up from his time posing as a human. Then Lucy and Loke took a long and—she hated to admit it—very romantic stroll along the bay. He let slip a few flirtatious pickup lines, but he always apologized after saying them. After a while, Lucy did not mind his compliments. It felt good to have a man admire her.

"Hey, Loke," she said, holding onto his arm and leaning against him as they walked slowly along a shop-lined promenade. "When you were in Fairy Tail for three years, you made a lot of friends. Then you went back to the Spirit World. How do you feel about the people in Fairy Tail now?"

"Well, I like all of them still, of course," he smiled. "You especially."

"There you go again," Lucy grumbled, but she smiled happily to hear it. "So if, let's say, I was suddenly tossed into the Spirit World, you'd like having me around, right?"

"It was a dream come true to see you that one time," Loke nodded.

That troubled Lucy a bit.

"Ah," the Lion realized. "This is about Lisanna and Dragion, right? She was trapped for years in a different world, made friends, then managed to make it back to her own world. Yes, I know the feeling well," he admitted. "Now, here comes someone from that other world, someone she felt close to, someone she worked with, lived with, befriended, possibly had feelings for him. I sympathize for Lisanna, to be honest."

Lucy looked over in surprise. "Sympathize?"

"In my case," Loke said, looking up at the stars, "I can come back whenever you need me, and if I'm determined enough, I can break through the gate on my own. I can see my old friends whenever I want. For Lisanna, that's impossible. Now she gets a tiny view of that other world, a mere tease, yet she herself can't return to those friends she left behind. She knows Dragion will leave soon. It's not too surprising that she wants to hog him for herself. If I was in her place, trapped in the Spirit World, and suddenly you or Gray or even Natsu ended up there, I would hoard you, drown you with questions about my friends here, want you totally to myself since I know you best. I wouldn't want to share you with anyone. You people are my friends, and I take friendships like that seriously."

"I...I guess you're right," Lucy mumbled.

Loke had a good point. She knew Fireball and Lisanna had lived together in Edolas, so of course they had a past together. It was only fair that Lisanna should have her Edolas friend more than Lucy, who was merely ordered by Makarov to keep him safe. Still, she hated feeling like she was losing him to another woman.

_It's sort of like how my Natsu and Lisanna also had a past, something I can't share because I only recently joined. It's not fair! Even with this Natsu, he has a link to Lisanna that I can't touch._

Loke walked her home and stayed around until Lucy finished getting ready for bed. He tucked her into the blankets, smiling pleasantly the whole time. Although normally this possessive side to Loke was annoying, today Lucy actually enjoyed it.

"Shall I stay with you all night?" he smirked. "I could sleep at the foot of your bed like a cat."

Lucy glared at him. "Do and I'll sic Aquarius on you."

He leaned over and pressed his forehead against her brow. His nose lightly caressed hers, making Lucy blush at how close he was. "I hope you dream of good things, Princess. You don't ever have to feel lonely. I'm just a gate away."

"Loke," she said drowsily. "Thanks. At least I know I'll never lose you."

"You better not," he teased, tapping the keys that sat by her nightstand. "I'll be very upset if I end up with an owner that's not so cute and caring."

She smiled, then shut her eyes. "Don't stay out all night. You'll be weak."

"I'll only stay until you fall asleep," Loke whispered as he gently brushed his fingers over her brow, soothing out all the troubles she had felt during the day. "Sweet dreams, princess."

Lucy sighed at his caresses and finally dozed off. Once Loke heard her breath getting deeper and more even, he kissed Lucy on the cheek, then vanished into a pillar of golden sparkles.

* * *

**Two Days To Go**

The next morning, Lucy woke up and missed the smell of coffee already brewing. She had to make her own breakfast, and she opted for only cold cereal. She left the dirty dishes in the sink for later, then dressed for a day at the guild. She had honestly not expected to see Fireball there, but the pink-haired boy waved bashfully when she entered. Even more surprising, he was sitting with Gray and Juvia, not with Lisanna and Elfman.

"How was your sleepover?" Lucy asked him, trying hard to keep her voice casual.

Edo-Natsu shrank down a little and could not meet her eyes. "It...it was okay. It was just dinner. They're a lot like the people back at home, except for Elfman, but he's not too bad once you get used to him. However, their couch is really uncomfortable." He cringed down so low, his face almost hit the top of the table. "I know I'm a big pain for you, but...well...do you think, maybe...maybe I can stay with you for the rest of the week?" His face drew up and he covered his head, ready for a hit. "I'll clean and cook and I won't make noise and I'll keep to myself, I promise," he cried out desperately.

Gray had to laugh at him. "Sheesh, Lucy. Do you really treat him so badly?"

"No," she stated flatly, rolling her eyes slightly.

"No!" Fireball exclaimed, looking at Gray with huge eyes and grabbing his arm, which stunned the ice wizard. "Princess is really sweet. She never hits me, she compliments my cooking, and she lets me do whatever I want. She's wonderful, absolutely the perfect woman!"

Suddenly, Fireball froze and paled so much, it looked like he was ready to pass out in mortification. Gray's eyebrow shot up, Juvia looked amused, and Lucy blanched slightly that he had said all of that.

Edo-Natsu trembled and looked around at the three of them in horror. "I...I didn't mean...well, I did mean it, but...but I..."

Lucy rubbed the frustration out of her brow. "You can come back."

His green eyes lit up. "I can? Really and truly?"

"Yeah. It's too quiet, and you cook the best breakfasts ever."

"Yay!" he cheered, then shrank down again. "I mean...th-thanks."

Lucy giggled at him. "You're almost cute when you get excited like that." Then she walked over to the bar to order a drink.

That night, Lucy did not mind when Edo-Natsu took a bath before her. She did not listen in or anything. She sat by her desk, pulled out some paper and pen, and began to write.

_Dear Mama,_

_My bashful house guest is back, and oddly enough, it feels good to have him back. I used to think that living alone was a mature thing, and the loneliness proved I was growing up. Now, I find myself happier with someone nearby. It feels...comfortable with him around. I didn't realize this until he was gone. I wonder how I will feel when he leaves in two days. I'm sure I'm going to be sad. Fireball and Salamander are simply too different. Dragneel makes a mess and eats up my food. Dragion cleans everything to a shine and cooks fantastic meals. I still miss that fire idiot, but I know I'll miss my Fireball as well._

Lucy paused and looked at what she had written. "My Fireball?" she spoke aloud, confused why she had written it that way.

Then she heard the bathroom door open. She folded the letter and put it away with the many others she wrote to her deceased mother. Edo-Natsu stepped out with only a towel wrapped around his middle. Lucy instantly blushed to see him half-naked like that.

"I forgot my clothes. S-sorry."

He rushed through the room and grabbed a pile of clothing. Lucy still stared as he hurried back into the steamy bathroom. He shut the door, and she heard him sigh loudly, probably from holding his breath. She shook her head to clear away the perverted thoughts.

"Stop it, Lucy. Stop it! He's leaving in two days, so...just...no! Don't even think about it."

She still did. He set up his bed, she climbed into hers, and it took a long time to drift off to sleep.

Her dreams that night were filled with erotic thoughts. She groaned in her sleep at sensual phantoms until one fantasy took solid shape. She dreamed about Edo-Natsu taking her into a shower. She knew it was Dragion by the lack of a scar, but he was wild in this dream. The timid personality washed away, leaving behind something daring, a personality she knew was hidden deep within him. She had seen it briefly in Edolas when she road in his car. Now that cocky attitude was back.

"You love this, don't you, Princess?" he chuckled, his eyes lowered and lusty. Fireball's hands caressed her under the hot sprays of water, a possessive sneer on his lips, while she hummed at the gentle touches and hot kisses.

"Natsu," she moaned. That assertive personality, a man who took control, was something she loved, yet neither Dragneel nor Dragion seemed to be the sort to do that. One was clueless, the other timid. Yet in her dream, he was everything she wanted, and he touched her in ways no man had ever done.

Meanwhile, Edo-Natsu stood watching Lucy moan in her sleep. He had woken up from the sound, rose to see if she was having a nightmare, until he heard her mumble in her sleep.

"Mmm...Natsu...more." It was definitely not a moan of some terrifying dream, but a sensual voice laden with lust.

"Dreaming of him, huh?" he grumbled jealously.

Lucy's body squirmed on the bed, and he watched as her hand drifted over her chest. Dragion knew he should go back to bed and let her have her fantasies, yet part of him wanted to wake her up so she would stop dreaming about that other Natsu. His face tensed up at hearing her. He looked aside in dejection.

"What was I hoping for, anyway?" he whispered, and left silently to rummage through the kitchen.

* * *

**One Day to Go**

The next day, there was a festival in the neighboring town. Lucy and Edo-Natsu went with Gray and Erza. During their last mission, their team had discussed going to this festival together. Now, it felt weird having Fireball in their group instead of Salamander. He clung to Lucy, stayed far away from Erza, yet he and Gray surprisingly got along well.

"He's not as annoying as that flame-brain," Gray had to admit as he and Lucy ate dango balls while Fireball was in the bathroom. "He's actually a pretty nice guy. Too bad we can't keep him and ditch the lizard boy."

"Gray," Erza warned. "That's not nice. What would you think if Natsu really can't return?"

Gray thought about it, then shrugged. "Party at my house?"

Erza glared at him, but Lucy laughed softly. She was glad that she was not the only one who liked this type of Natsu.

They played games, ate lots of food, and listened to music. Lucy won a wrist band in one of the games, and since it was red with flames, she gave it to Edo-Natsu. He wore it proudly for the rest of his time in Earthland. The boy slowly began to warm up to the idea of having fun, although he still clung to Lucy's arm. She decided...she didn't mind too much. He was sort of cute. They stayed until night to watch fireworks, then slowly the four walked back to Magnolia.

"We should have rented a four-wheeler," Gray complained as they trudged along the dark road.

Edo-Natsu perked up. "Four-wheeler? You guys have real, working four-wheelers?"

"Yeah, but you have to be a wizard to use them," Gray told him, instantly crushing the boy's hopes.

"Oh...I guess...it's also magical, huh?" he mumbled.

"Earthland cars run on the magic within a wizard's body," Erza explained. "The SE-Plug converts magic into fuel for the vehicle."

"Oh," was all he said, obviously depressed to hear that even here, fast transportation was out of his reach.

That night after her shower, while Lucy brushed out her wet hair, she heard Edo-Natsu in the bathroom again panting and grunting. She froze and blushed for a moment, but then a sense of frustration swept over her.

"I know he's stuck here, but does he really do _that_ twice a week?" she grumbled. "I wouldn't let anyone else do something like that, so I...I need to...to lay down the law. Yes, I need to be firm about it."

She marched over to the bathroom with a determined face. However, first she stopped and put her ear against the door.

"Oh Lucy...yes, like that," he whispered, hissing heatedly. "Oh God. Please, stop."

"Stop?" Lucy Heartfilia wondered quietly.

"You know I hate it, and I love it. Oh Lucy, you make it hurt so good."

"Whoa, total masochist!" she breathed, squirming a little at the thought. "No, I need to be firm. He can't keep doing this." She raised her knuckles to knock.

"Damn...Lucy...right there! Harder...deeper...make it hurt more."

Lucy found it nearly impossible to breathe, let alone shout at him. Deeper? Hurt more? Just what did Lucy Ashley _do_ to Natsu Dragion? Immensely perverted thoughts invaded her mind.

"A little more. Just...just a little more. _Nnngh!_ "

Instead of knocking, Lucy twisted the door handle and peeked inside. She wanted to see him, to view that moment when passion reached its limit. She was—she hated to admit it—extremely curious to watch him shoot off in ecstasy.

Instead, she saw Fireball sitting on the edge of the bathtub, one leg crossed over the other, his foot in his hands, as he gave his heel and toes a vigorous massage.

"Oh God, yes, that hurts good," he moaned as his fingers pressed hard into his feet.

"What the hell...?"

At her words, Fireball jolted, slipped, and slid right back into the tub. Lucy saw his head slam into the ceramic edge and gasped in worry. He gave a moan of pain before his whole body sank into the water with the sound of bubbles.

"Fireball!" she screamed. She still waited by the door, but he was not coming back up. "Natsu?"

She ran forward without even thinking and looked down into the bath water. His head was underneath, his pink hair floating loosely, his eyes closed, and his mouth gaped open with bubbles floating out.

"No! Natsu!"

She quickly grabbed him up by the armpits. To her surprise, he was very lightweight. She easily brought him up, but his face was slack. His entire body was dead weight in her arms.

"Natsu!" she shrieked, shaking him. A bit of water came out of his mouth. "No...oh please, no!"

Lucy yanked the boy out of the stone tub. He flopped onto the tiled floor, yet still he did not move. She barely had time to realize he was totally naked. Her attention was on his face and the little bit of blood that mixed in the back of his pink hair. He had hit his head harder than it looked. She flipped him over to his stomach and hefted him up a few times under the ribs, getting some water out of his mouth, yet still he was not breathing.

Lucy looked around fretfully. What to do? What were you supposed to do in these situations? _Think, Lucy, think!_

"It's... _that_ , isn't it? Mouth-to-mouth."

She spent only two seconds thinking it was weird, a type of kiss, yet her brain only allowed those two seconds before a direly serious side kicked over. The paleness of his skin, the chest that was not moving, and her fear for his life overwhelmed her sense of propriety. She put Natsu on his back, pulled his jaw open, pinched his nose, then clamped her lips over his, making sure the seal was tight. His lips were cold, and that worried her. Natsu Dragneel had always been so hot. Feeling the boy's skin ice cold sent a shiver through her spine. Then she breathed as much air as possible in.

The chest lifted only minimally, and the air came right back at her. She pulled back and felt his neck. There was still a faint pulse, but no attempts to breathe on his own.

"I know you're alive, Natsu," she whispered.

Lucy bent over him again and filled his lungs with more air. She thought she felt something and pulled back. A little water gurgled up. She rolled him to his side to get it out, yet still he was not breathing, and the pulse was fading fast. Lucy took another big breath and forced it into his mouth.

"Please, Natsu," she sobbed in dread. She was no longer thinking that if Dragion died, Dragneel might not be able to return. Right at that moment, she was only thinking that she did not want to lose a boy who already became a good friend. "Please, breathe. Wake up."

Despite tears in her eyes, she took a deeper breath and puffed it in. This time Edo-Natsu jolted and sputtered. She helped him to roll over again, and he vomited a large amount of water. He gagged and gasped for oxygen while Lucy helped to hold him up a bit.

"L-Lucy?" He looked up at her and saw the friendly eyes and long, wet hair. "Princess! You burst in and scared me."

"I didn't burst in," she protested, but he began to cough some more. She hit his back, and he spit out a little more water. Then Edo-Natsu leaned back against the tub and caught his breath. Once Lucy was fairly certain he was okay, she finally asked, "What the hell were you doing, sitting on the edge of the tub like that?"

"Huh?" he choked. "Foot massage."

She blinked. "Foot...foot massage?" she whispered.

"Well, yeah. That was a lot of walking we did today. Since I'm used to driving everywhere, my feet are a bit tender. Lucy Ashley gives really awesome massages. They hurt a bit, but then it feels really good. I can't give myself ones like she does, but I can sort of do it." He smiled up at her, still looking like a drowned pink rat. "Maybe I can give you a foot massage."

Lucy's mind was a total blank. She had been thinking perverted thoughts ever since that one time. She had been dreaming erotic fantasies and even touched herself thinking Edo-Natsu was jerking off to thoughts of "Lucy," whichever Lucy that might be.

 _She_ had been the perverted one!

"I am so stupid," she muttered, and she dropped her head in shame.

Then she saw Fireball...fully! For a few seconds of utter shock, she stared at the soft, wrinkled shaft flopped against a patch of curly dark pink hair. With a face beet red in embarrassment, she stood up so suddenly, she almost slipped in a wet spot. Edo-Natsu quickly rose up and took her shoulders to keep her from also falling like he had done.

"Are you okay, Princess?"

He was holding her. He was so close! His _thing_ was mere centimeters away from her body. She stood frozen, wondering what she could possibly do after discovering just how sick her mind was. She had thought she could—no, had _wanted_ to—see him in such an intimate moment, yet here he was, not even a little hard as he stood naked next to her.

Certainly, this was the ultimate sign that he had no romantic interest in her at all. If a man was sexually attracted to a woman, he would be at least a little aroused when standing naked beside her, right? Edo-Natsu was totally flaccid.

"I'll...I'll prepare something for your head," she said in a tight voice, wishing she could flee.

"Huh?" Fireball reached back and saw the blood on his fingers. "It's probably just a scratch. It doesn't hurt much, really."

"Still, I'm at fault, so...so I'll...I'll deal with it." Then Lucy ran off and slammed the door behind her. She rushed into the kitchen and hid, resting her head heavily against the wall. She tried to calm herself, yet she panted and gnashed her teeth. "Oh my God, I am such an idiot," she whispered in mortification. "You stupid, stupid, stupid Lucy! And he's going home tomorrow. Who cares even if he _was_ doing _that_? Now he thinks you're a total perv. Idiot! Stupid Lucy!"

Meanwhile, Natsu Dragion stood in the middle of the bathroom looking confused. Why had she peeked in on him? Lucy Ashley did that all the time, but he was used to that now. Was this Lucy also a pervert? He realized she had saved his life just now, even if his slip into the bathtub was partially her fault. For that, he felt thankful. Yet why had she looked so ashamed?

Suddenly, the pink-haired boy felt a draft, looked down, and realized he was stark naked. Although alone now, he quickly covered his privates and blushed fiercely.

"Damn. She saw it. She _saw it!_ " Now he was glad Lucy was gone as the thought of what had just happened between them made him get a bit aroused. "Stop it, Natsu. I can't think about her that way! I'm going home tomorrow."

He grabbed a towel and dried off. As he went through the motions of getting ready for bed, he calmed his hormones. Then he glanced into the mirror over the sink and frowned at his reflection.

"What's wrong with me? Why...why don't I want to go home anymore? Of course I want to go home! Still...I guess I wouldn't mind staying."

He looked over to the bathroom door again. His eyes softened as he thought about Lucy, how gentle she was, the care she had shown him this whole week, and how relaxed he felt being around her, as if his chronic anxiety melted simply by being near her. He bit his lip as he struggled with the dilemma.

"Porlyusica was right. If I stay too long, I'll never want to leave. I guess it's a good thing I'm heading home tomorrow." He tried to say it in a cheerful way, yet still he felt a pang in his heart.

* * *

**The End of the Week**

Levy and Freed looked intensely at each other.

"You better not tire out on me," he said with a cocky smirk.

"Oh, don't worry," Levy chuckled, leaning in close to his face. "I plan to last as long as you need. It's you who might end this prematurely."

"Me?" Freed chortled. "Not a chance. I can last all night long if I have to."

"You really think so?"

Freed leaned in even closer to the blue-haired girl. "Once I start my magic, I don't tire out."

"Hey you two!" Gajeel stomped in and put a possessive hand down on Levy's head. "What's with the talk?"

Freed straightened up. "My runes are ready."

Levy yanked out her pen. "Let's do it!"

At another table, Edo-Natsu wrung his hands nervously. That whole morning, he could hardly stop fidgeting, and it was beginning to annoy Lucy. Just as he seemed to be warming up to her, the possibility of leaving had him right back to his timid self.

"C-could I really go back?" he asked, twisting his fingers together. "Do you think it's possible?"

"Of course," Makarov said into a mug of something frothy. "The question is, do you _want_ to go back?"

"Well, yeah!" the boy cried out, but he shrank down. "That is...well...I miss home, but I'm having fun here, so it's okay if I stay a little longer." He did not want to admit that this dilemma had him fidgeting all night long. "Earth-Lucy is really nice, nothing at all like my Lucy. It's also nice to have Lisanna around again. Even that old lady Porlyusica is sweet too, isn't she?"

Makarov spit his drink out with bugged eyes. "Porly-...erm...uh, yes, I guess she's an endearing woman..." Then he grumbled into his mug. "...in a hate-all-humans sort of way."

Over by Levy and Freed, the runes began to glow. Between Levy's magical power and some electricity half-heartedly provided by Laxus poking the runes while grumbling, the runes flickered and then showed the face of some droopy-eyed man.

"It's you guys!" the man gasped, and he spun around in his chair. "Get the king! The king!"

Fairy Tail gathered around, and Makarov made his way to the front with Edo-Natsu reluctantly in tow. A minute later, King Jellal's face came up on the screen. Fireball instinctively cowered back.

"Thank goodness, it worked," the man with a tattoo over his eye sighed. "It's good to see you again, Master Makarov."

"Same to you, Mystogan. Have you found Natsu?" the Master asked.

"I apologize," he said humbly, bowing his head. "They were attacked before Erza Knightwalker could reach them and transported again. There's no telling where they ended up. However, we found someone who knows what's going on."

A familiar face came up to the screen.

"Is that Gajeel?" Levy asked, freezing her writing.

"Don't stop now," Freed warned her.

"Yo!" Gajeel Redfox grinned. "Gehehe! I didn't think I'd see you again."

Edo-Gajeel pushed his glasses up his nose. "Yes, well, I'm always glad to be in the middle of a great story. You're as dashing as ever, Earthland-Me."

"Back at ya, Edolas-Me!"

"Two Gajeels," Levy drooled. Laxus smacked the back of her head when she stopped writing her magic. "Ah! Sorry." She focused and put extra energy into her work, yet Levy could hardly help but stare as she thought naughty things about _two_ Gajeels.

"So what's going on?" Erza demanded.

"Ah yes." Edo-Gajeel pulled out a booklet to check his notes. "From my understanding, Natsu Dragion got transported to Earthland by Levy in an accident. She was running a diagnostic on her latest attempt at a personal sub-dimensional transporter, something so individuals could get out of dangerous situations and return instantly to Fairy Tail headquarters. Ever since the magic extraction of X784, Levy has been working on a way to created rifts in space—wormholes—using particle acceleration as opposed to magic. For unknown reasons, the transporter activated, and Natsu was the closest subject. It locked on to him and transported him."

"So it really was just an accident," Edo-Natsu sighed in relief. He had been fretting about that for a whole week.

"However," Edo-Gajeel went on, "instead of using a wormhole to pierce from one location to another, the signal was interrupted by a massive magical surge in Earthland that, coincidentally, was also created by the Natsu of your world. Such a one-in-a-million chance is something Levy hadn't even considered when building it."

Lucy huffed a little. "Massive magical surges from Natsu are hardly one-in-a-million."

"Gehehe!" Edo-Gajeel chuckled. "Your Natsu sounds rather interesting. Anyway, Levy believes the magical surge reflected back onto the wormhole, forcefully switching the bodies of Salamander and Fireball." He flipped a page in his notebook. "Upon arriving in Edolas, Salamander showed confusion and belligerence."

"That's normal for him," Gray grumbled.

"He began attacking the members of Fairy Tail. He attempted to run away several times, yet each time he was caught and forced back by Lucy Ashley. Levy believes that, in order to switch the two back, there must be an equal balance. During one of his escapes, Salamander attempted to use magic. He has only the ability to light a flame on the tips of his fingers, yet it astonished some nearby villagers. Rumors spread throughout the district. Before the royal escort could arrive, bandits showed up who wanted Natsu Dragneel for his magic. I was outside chronicling the gathering of various enemy gangs, all bent on seizing the dragon slayer. At that moment, Fairy Tail suddenly vanished. I'm afraid I don't know where the guild ended up this time."

"We're scouring all of Edolas for them," King Jellal assured the group. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can do at this time, not until we can locate them."

"I understand," Makarov pouted. "I'm thankful you're still willing to help."

"Of course I am," the king smiled gently. "I still bear the Fairy Tail mark. I would never leave one of our own behind. We'll meet again in exactly one week. I sincerely hope we'll have more information by then, and with any luck we'll have Salamander in safe custody."

"Until then, Mystogan," Makarov nodded.

Then Levy, Laxus, and Freed ended the magic, and the screen winked out.

Makarov sighed and turned to Edo-Natsu. "I apologize for getting your hopes up."

"No, it's...it's fine," the pink-haired boy said bashfully. "I understand, and it's no one's fault. Besides," he admitted, glancing over at Lucy, "I'm having fun, although Cana scares me and Gray...I can't get used to the guy running around half-naked."

Juvia popped up right then. "Why don't you like Gray-sama?" she screamed.

He cringed back. "I...I didn't say that. I do like him. A lot!"

Juvia blushed. "You...like Gray-sama...a lot?"

"Yeah. In Edolas, Gray Surge and I were really close."

"Really close?" Juvia's imagination went wild, picturing Gray and Natsu in a wild boys-love tryst, with Gray stroking back the pink hair and whispering naughty things to the blushing Dragion. "Nooo, Gray-sama! First Lyon, now Natsu?"

"Huh?" Fireball asked, wondering what her problem was. "Anyway, I want to be friends with Gray Fullbuster too, but...well...his clothes..."

Juvia was sucked out of her yaoi fantasies. "What's wrong with Gray-sama's clothes? Juvia likes how Gray-sama dresses."

Mirajane came up to them. "But he doesn't dress often," the white-haired lady pointed out with a titter. She handed Juvia Gray's lost trousers. "Make sure he puts these on."

"Gray-sama's pants!" the rain woman exclaimed in bliss. Then she burrowed her nose into the crotch. "It smells just like Gray-sama."

Fireball Natsu cringed away and drew closer to Makarov. "Yeah, and...and this version of Juvia scares me, too."

"They're a good group of brats," Makarov assured him.

"I know," he muttered. "It's just hard to get used to all the changes."

"Natsu!" Lisanna called out.

He looked over in shock, then laughed. "You're the only person here who calls me by my first name naturally."

She grinned amiably at him. "Because I know you as Natsu just as well as I know the other Natsu as Natsu. To me, it's easy to sort out in my head which is which."

He smiled sadly and looked down. "I guess so. I miss hearing my own name, sometimes."

Lisanna giggled softly. "Then I'll have to talk to you more and say your name a lot...Natsu."

He blushed slightly at her playfulness.

At another table, Lucy sat with Cana and Levy. She kept looking over to the bar where Edo-Natsu sat talking to Lisanna again. Cana glanced over to Levy, who shared the same smirking expression.

"Hey Lu-chan," Levy said, yanking her attention away and back onto the girls. "You keep staring at Edo-Natsu."

"Yeah," Cana teased. "Rather intensely."

Lucy waved her hands in front of her while shaking her head. "Oh, no, no, no! You're misunderstanding. I'm making sure he stays out of trouble," she insisted. "That's my job, right? To keep an eye on him so he doesn't get hurt or lost or..."

Happy's head popped up. "She lllllikes him."

Lucy pouted and folded her arms. "Where have you been this whole time, you stupid blue cat?"

"Living with Charle," he sighed dreamily. "Wendy said I could stay with her since I couldn't buy more food. I was thinking about living with Lucy, but she's already got a guy she likes living with her, so I figured you two needed some _alone time_."

"That's ridiculous!" Although Lucy stubbornly looked away, she also did not deny that she liked Fireball.

Cana and Levy exchanged worried looks.

"Lu-chan," Levy whispered, leaning in so others would not hear. "Remember, he's from another dimension. He'll have to go home eventually. You really shouldn't get too attached."

"Yeah," Cana agreed. "Like, you shouldn't give one another pet names, or go out to dinner together, or treat him special."

Lucy laughed it off. "Of course I know that!" Yet she could hardly help but realize that she had done all of those things over the past week.

Fireball suddenly ran up to her. "Princess! Princess! Elfman says there's a car race tomorrow and I really, really, really wanna go. Can I? Pretty please?" he asked with imploring eyes.

"Princess?" Cana asked, freezing with her beer barrel halfway to her mouth.

Lucy blushed at such a cute expression. "All right, fine. If it'll make you happy, then we can go."

"Yippee!" Natsu shouted, and he hugged Lucy. Instantly, he let go and leaped back. "Ack! I...I'm sorry for touching you."

"Hey, I'm not Lucy Ashley, remember? Natsu hugs me all the time."

"Oh..." He pouted a little. "I guess you two are close enough for things like that. Well, thanks! I wanna talk to Elfman more. Is that okay?"

Lucy laughed. "You're not a little kid. You can talk to anyone you want."

He ran off, but Cana had a smirk on her face while Levy looked concerned.

"What? What is it?" asked Lucy.

Levy sighed. "It's rather obvious, isn't it? He calls you Princess, you call him Fireball."

"We've been doing that all week. It's easier," she insisted.

Cana gulped down her beer. "Despite our warnings, you're already treating that guy special."

"Master told me to," she squeaked out.

Cana chuckled into her barrel. "That guy has a crush on you, and you're obviously falling for him."

"Am not!" Lucy yelled, yet she still blushed.

Happy giggled again. "They llllllike each other."

Lucy screamed angrily, " _Will you stop that?_ "

Levy sighed in pity. "Just make sure you don't get too attached. After all, hopefully he can go home in a week."

"I...know that," Lucy mumbled, yet already she liked having Fireball around. She did not want to feel lonely anymore.

That evening, she and Fireball walked home together. Lucy felt self-conscious now, walking down the street with him humming beside her. Her stomach became jittery as she worried about how she was supposed to last an entire extra week with this guy.

He cooked dinner while Lucy tried to write, yet she caught herself staring at him from across the room. She scolded herself silently.

_I have to be a better hostess. I can't be some perverted woman who takes advantage of her guest. But damn, why does he have to look so hot wearing my apron?_

She sighed as she realized that this was going to be one hellish week.

They ate dinner, got ready for the night, and Lucy went to bed a little early, leaving the desk lamp on for Edo-Natsu. Half an hour after her, she saw the light in the room wink out and heard him shuffle into bed. She stayed awake almost all night, staring at her ceiling, wondering how she was going to get through this sort of temptation. A worry began to nag her, too. If Edolas' Fairy Tail thought they were being hunted again, they would go into hiding. Last time, they managed to outrun Knightwalker for years.

What if that happened again? They did not know that King Jellal was trying to get Natsu Dragneel to send him home. If they were getting attacked by bandits, of course they would think that the king was also after Natsu for evil purposes. Which meant it boiled down to a battle between Erza Knightwalker's ability to track them and Edo-Levy's ability to get Fairy Tail to escape successfully. A cat and mouse game like that could go on for months, even years.

What if Mystogan got frustrated and called off the search? Really, there was nothing forcing him to send out his legions to track down a single wayward Earthland man, only his sense of loyalty to Makarov and Fairy Tail.

What if Natsu Dragneel _never_ came home?

What if Natsu Dragion was trapped here forever?

Meanwhile, Edo-Natsu laid on the shikibuton wide awake also, fighting between being happy that he could stay with Lucy Heartfilia a little longer, and feeling guilty that he was not as eager to go back home as he probably should be.

 _How am I supposed to last another week here?_ Edo-Natsu wondered. _I already love it here too much. I love...her._

He pressed his fists into his eyes to force out the thought.

_Stop it, Natsu! She's in love with Salamander. You can't replace him. Besides, you'll be leaving soon...maybe...if Knightwalker can catch the guild. If Lucy and Levy have anything to do with it, those Fairy hunters will never catch Fairy Tail. That means they'll never get Salamander to Royal City. Which means I'll never be able to go home. That makes me sad, but...but why am I also okay with that? If I can't go home, I can stay here, stay with her... No! Stop it, you idiot! Stop being happy while thinking that way._

He sighed and looked around at the bed. She was just a few steps away, yet the distance between them was worlds apart.

_Sheesh...I'm in big trouble._

**End of Chapter 7**


	8. Fireball's Mistake

The next day, Lucy took Fireball Natsu to the guild early in the morning. They ate breakfast there while waiting for Elfman to arrive. Gray, Gajeel, and Levy also decided to come to the car race, although Levy mostly came to keep Lucy company since she knew her friend would be bored at such an event.

They went to the train station, and again Edo-Natsu was excited. His personality completely changed once he got on that train, and it annoyed Lucy a little. He was cocky, sly, a little too self-assured, and she could hardly stand it when he flirted with the stewardess who brought them drinks. She no longer knew whether to think of him as timid or rambunctious. Like this, he was almost like her own Natsu, except way worse.

The train came to a stop, and Lucy immediately stood. "Let's get off this thing."

"My, you sure are in a rush," Edo-Natsu chuckled. "Relax!" He suddenly slapped her on the ass, making Lucy stiffen. "Life's a journey, not a destination, babe."

Gray saw the furious look on her face. "Dude, you are so dead," he whispered.

"Fireball," Lucy said between clenched teeth, keeping her face toward the exit so she could avoid seeing what she was sure must be a smug look on the Edolas boy's face. "If we weren't in public, and if I wasn't supposed to keep you from getting hurt, you would be pounded into a pulp right now." She glared around her shoulder at him. Sure enough, he had a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Don't _ever_ touch my butt again."

"Did it get you that worked up?" he smirked. "You like getting spanked, don't you? You put the 'Mmm-mm' in masochist."

She sneered a little in disgust before stomping away. Levy chased after her, but not before quickly shooting Fireball a dirty look.

Gray shook his head. "You should be a little less bold, idiot. You have to live with her, after all."

Edo-Natsu chuckled softly. "Oh yes, indeed I do. I look forward to a whole extra week with her, living together, eating together, practically bathing together. She's already seen me naked, you know."

Gray's eyes narrowed suspiciously at him.

"What's wrong, Gray? Jealous?" Fireball asked with a cunning smirk. "Juvia won't like that, will she? Of course, if you're opposite from my Gray, you probably hate Juvia."

"I don't hate her."

"Oh?" He chortled softly. "But you don't love her either." The pink-haired teen leaned into Gray's face and whispered, "Do you, perhaps, love Lucy?"

The ice wizard glared at him. "Lucy is my friend. So is Juvia."

"Just friends?" Edo-Natsu asked slyly. "That's so boring, and that doesn't seem like you at all."

"What doesn't seem right is how you've been acting since you boarded this train. Aren't you going a little overboard?"

"Am I?" wondered Edo-Natsu. "Maybe because it's been such a long time since I've been on transportation like this. You know, back home, all we have are tanchimos. They're dumb creatures, and although they're one of the fastest animals you can ride over land, they aren't anywhere near as fast as my car used to be. You can only push them so fast, and then they tire out quickly. All I get are a few minutes of freedom, nowhere near what I used to be able to feel. Maybe it's because Yusō is more like a friend now, but I just don't get the same feeling. When I'm riding him, I simply don't feel like I'm on transportation at all. It's...rather depressing." His eyes flashed up. "So if I want to have a little fun while on this train, just let me and stay the hell out of my way, ice stripper." Then he turned around and stormed off.

Gajeel stepped up beside Gray. "If Natsu comes back home acting like that, I'm gonna kick his ass so hard, he'll fly right back to Edolas."

"You have my permission," Gray sneered.

Then they heard a shout and crying up ahead. Gray, Gajeel, and Elfman ran forward to see what was going on. Fireball got all the way up to the door before chickening out. He was now struggling against one of the conductors who was trying to get him off the train to allow other passengers to exit.

"No, I don't wanna get off the train. I was mean to Lucy, and if Lucy gets mad she's gonna hit me. I can't even look at her if I'm not on transportation. Noooo, I don't wanna get off, you can't make me, don't wanna..."

Gray glanced over to Gajeel. "How about you kick him only as far as out of the train station?"

The iron dragon slayer grinned widely. "Gehehe! With pleasure."

Edo-Natsu threw his head back and cried, "Lucyyyyy!"

Out on the stairs leading down from the station, Lucy paused and looked around. "Odd, I thought I heard someone call for me."

Levy smiled at her. "Maybe someone's talking about you. Could be a cute boy."

"Yeah right," Lucy sighed. "It couldn't be good talk, and I think I'd just sneeze then. No, it sounded like..."

Suddenly, a pink comet whooshed past her, blowing her hair to the side. There was a thud, and the wall nearby cracked at the force. Slowly, Edo-Natsu slid down into a melty puddle.

"Fireball!" Lucy cried out.

His head swam with stars. "I wanna ride the choo-choo again, Daddy." Then he fell to the ground.

Lucy covered her face and growled. "Why me? Why do I always end up stuck with guys like this?"

"Poor Lu-chan," Levy giggled.

"I'll trade you dragon slayers, Levy."

"Nope, you're stuck with this one and I'm stuck with mine."

"Except this guy," Lucy said, looking down at the dazed boy. "This isn't my dragon slayer. I don't even know how to handle him."

Edo-Natsu slowly woke up and looked around in confusion. The train, that wonderful lifesaver of transportation, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there were two legs...two very smooth, pale, slender legs. He gazed up them to a short skirt fluttering in the breeze, a bit of shadow, but within that shadow he saw something plump, soft, yet hidden by the cutest little bit of cloth.

_Panties? I'm on the ground. Am I looking up at someone's panties?_

Then the legs bent, the skirt hid the view, and chocolate brown eyes stared into his dazed ones.

"Are you all right, Fireball?"

He grinned stupidly for a moment, then realization dawned on him. Those eyes...

" _Kyaaaaaaaa!_ " he shrieked, startling Lucy. Edo-Natsu curled into a ball with his face to the ground and covered his head, expecting a harsh beating. "I'm sorry, Lucy. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude on the train or flirt with that waitress or smack your b-b-b-butt or say those things to Gray or see your panties. I'm soooooo sorry!"

Lucy adjusted her skirt, self-conscious about the underwear comment, but she felt sorry for the boy now. He looked like a dog who had been beaten too many times. She knew this was probably due to Lucy Ashley's harshness around him. She wished she could erase all those years of abuse, anything to get this cowering boy to smile once more.

"Hey, it's all right," she assured, patting his pink hair. "You were on transportation again and got excited. I forgive you."

He looked up with tear-stained eyes and a confused look. "You...you forgive m-m-me?"

She gave him a sunny smile and nodded. "I know you're not like that deep down inside."

His head fell again. "Yes I am. I just can't show it normally."

"So you really do want to smack my butt?"

He cringed down and sniffled. "No. Maybe. I don't know. I...I just feel different when I'm on transportation."

"Well, so long as you don't do it again, I'll forgive you."

He looked up again with a hesitant smile. "Y-y-you will?"

"So long as you're a good boy and behave for the rest of the day."

Fireball grinned eagerly and rose up to his knees. "I'll be good, I will!"

Kneeling like that, smiling so happily, Lucy could barely help but giggle at the image of Edo-Natsu being a little dog who had just been praised. She even scratched his head, and the boy closed his eyes happily.

Levy leaned over to Gajeel. "I think she figured out how to handle him."

The iron dragon slayer merely huffed in reply.

* * *

They walked to the racetrack and began looking around. Gajeel went to an area behind the garages where race teams dumped old parts. He began picking up the discarded nuts, bolts, pipes, and levers, eating them with satisfaction. The others watched a few races, then went walking around. There was a car show in one area, and Lucy loved looking at some of the classic models.

"My parents had a car like this," she cried out to Levy.

"Hey, Wheel-brain," Gray called over to Edo-Natsu.

Fireball looked up, glanced around at the crowd, then pointed to his chest. "Did you mean me?"

"Yeah, your other version is Flame-brain, so you're Wheel-brain."

"Just...just call me Fireball," he muttered bashfully.

"Whatever. Look, you can sit in this car. It's a prototype, so they want the public to check it out."

Natsu Dragion liked walking over to the car with Gray Fullbuster. It was almost like they could be friends, like his friend Gray Surge back at home. Gray motioned him to step up to the sparkling new car and insisted it was okay if he sat in the driver's seat. Hesitantly, Edo-Natsu sat on the leather seat, adjusted the legroom a bit, then looked at all the levers and switches.

"It's almost identical in design to the four-wheelers back home," he realized, feeling a little excited.

He grabbed the wheel. The grip was familiar. He closed his eyes, and he could almost feel the rumble of the engine, the bumping of the road, the thrill that speed gave him, greater than any drug, releasing what he felt was his _true_ personality. His father had been a famous race car driver, and if Porlyusica was right, his grandfather had been a mechanic. Cars and machines were in his blood. He thrived on the thrill of driving. Riding on a train, even galloping on his tanchimo, simply did not match the excitement of unlimited speed and the freedom of the road.

Then he realized, even this was not the same. The car was not turned on. That moment of thrill ended, and Fireball realized that all he was really doing was sitting in a dead machine.

"I can't drive it anyway," he muttered.

Gray sat in the passenger seat and inspected the knobs to adjust the comfort of the chair. "Yeah, it takes an SE-Plug. That's the strip over on the side." He leaned over Edo-Natsu and pulled forth the arm strap with a tube connecting it to the dashboard. "It siphons off a wizard's magical power. Because of that, only wizards can drive these things. All the drivers you see here today are wizards."

"Magic," Fireball muttered. "Everything in the world is magical. Except me." He ran his hands over the wheel again. "I finally get in a car, but it's as dead as my own."

* * *

Over by the classic cars, Levy leaned over to Lucy. "You seemed to be doing well training that Edolas kid."

"Training?" Lucy asked. "I just forgave him, that's all."

"He was like a puppy."

Lucy blushed as she remembered she had thought the same thing. "He's got a cute personality. I don't really mind his assertive personality either. He just went a little too far today. The poor guy had been deprived for years."

"Like a starving dog who bites but then acts passive once you feed him."

Lucy snapped at Levy, "Stop comparing him to a dog! Fireball is Fireball. He's not a dog or a puppy. He's just...he's..."

Levy leaned in with a smirk. "He's what?"

Lucy turned silently and stormed away. She could not understand why her cheeks were blushing so brightly, and why her stomach had twisted into knots. The Fireball on the train had been annoying, but also a little familiar. The Fireball outside the train station had seemed pathetic, but also endearing. She liked and hated both versions.

_So you really do want to smack my butt?_

_No. Maybe. I don't know. I...I just feel different when I'm on transportation._

What had he meant by "maybe"? Did he really, secretly, deep down under those layers of cowardice, want to spank her? The thought of being tossed over his knee and spanked made Lucy's face turn even brighter red and her stomach coil. She felt her breath quickening and her heart pounding so hard, she was glad the racetrack was noisy so others could not hear the thumps.

She saw Gray get out of the prototype car, and she walked over there. To hide away and calm down, she sat in the passenger seat where he had been. She leaned back and gave a long sigh.

"That idiot," she muttered.

"Who's the idiot?"

She jolted at the voice and looked over. She had not noticed that someone else was also in the car, and her stomach did a flip when she saw it was none other than the boy who was frustrating her.

"Was it Elfman?" Fireball asked. "Or some stranger? Or..." He leaned over to her with a devious smile. "Is it me?" However, he immediately backed down. "Sorry."

Lucy was confused. One moment, he looked like the assertive Fireball, the next he was bashful again. Then she realized it was due to this car. It was technically transportation, but it was not running. She felt truly sorry for Fireball, and she wanted to make him happy somehow. She called out to the employee showing off the prototype.

"Hey, can we start it up? I'm a wizard." She showed the man her Fairy Tail guild symbol on her hand as proof.

"I suppose you may test out the engine," the haughty man said with a snooty tone. "It's the latest in streamline performance, a gentler SE-Plug, new material which tenderly grips at the wizard's arm without chaffing it." He helped Lucy to put on the SE-Plug. "A much nicer design, wouldn't you say?" he asked with a smarmy grin.

"I've actually never driven one of these before," she laughed nervously. "I always wanted to, though."

"Oh, it's very delightful," the man said, clasping his hands gleefully. "You simply put on the SE-Plug like so, then press that button."

Edo-Natsu pressed the ignition button on the console, and the car purred into life.

"It's on," he whispered in awe. Slowly, a smile spread over Fireball's face, and a wild gleam lighted up his eyes. "It's running."

"Tickles a little," Lucy said, looking down at the strap around her arm as she felt the tiny siphoning of magic that tingled from her shoulder down to her fingertips as the magic flowed through her.

The salesman smiled amiably. "Although it's meant for daily driving, it can be used in races as well. The design allows maximum speed with minimum magic usage. In the past, four-wheelers practically gulped a wizard's magic power if pushed too fast, but now..."

Suddenly, Edo-Natsu floored the accelerator and pulled out of the show area. Lucy screamed, and she quickly shut her door, barely avoiding a woman with a stroller.

"You idiot! What are you doing? Stop!" she shrieked.

However, Fireball Natsu was back with a gleam in his eyes. "I've been yearning for this feeling," he growled like a hungry dog.

He maneuvered through booths and crowds with surprising agility. Lucy screamed, covered her eyes, peeked out in terror, and screamed again every time it looked like they were going to hit someone. However, Fireball steered the car so well, not a single person was hit, and only one barrel was knocked to the side.

Then he suddenly yanked the wheel hard, and Lucy felt them bump over some sort of barrier. In horror, she realized they were on the racetrack in the midst of a new race. Just as the light turned green, all the cars began, and Fireball joined them. His fingers gripped the wheel tightly, he lowered his goggles down, and he pressed a little more on the accelerator.

"Fireball," Lucy tried to yell, but she moaned as she felt the effects of the speed he was using. "Ow! You...you've gotta stop. I'm not used to this."

"Is this your first time, Princess?" he laughed wildly. "A driving virgin! I guess I get to break you in, huh?" He glanced over briefly at her, and his smile was just like Salamander's. For some reason, it made her stomach flutter even more.

Lucy blushed brightly and gulped. "Idiot," she muttered under the roar of the engine. She reached toward the SE-Plug, ready to unstrap it.

"Pull that off and we'll likely crash," Fireball warned sharply.

This aggressive, assertive, and slightly perverted personality...she hated to admit it, but it totally thrilled her! The terror of his reckless driving, the awe at how masterfully he operated the vehicle, and the excitement of the race made Lucy's heart pound wildly. He glanced over to her and laughed. His narrow eyes made her feel tiny and helpless, yet they exuded such confidence that she felt like she could surrender herself to this young man and let him do whatever he wanted with her. Then his eyes quickly went back to the racetrack, and Fireball's face hardened with determination.

Lucy saw the fighting look Natsu sometimes got, and that excited her, too. She felt tired from the magical drain, but she wanted to watch his face, that fierceness, that fighting spirit, that stubborn determination to be the best. She felt sleepy, far worse than when she used six Gold Keys in one day. Her head began to hum. Her body felt numb and tingling. It tickled her all over and made her hum sensually.

"You like this, don't you, Lucy? Does it excite you?"

She could not speak. Her mind was drifting away as her magic power was sucked out. She rested her head against the window and kept watching Fireball for as long as she could.

* * *

At the edge of the racetrack, Gray and Elfman ran to the barrier. They saw the prototype car swerving between professional drivers, easily surpassing them.

"That speed is suicide!" Gray cried out in horror. He began to climb over the concrete barrier, but a security guard held him back.

"Easy there, kid," the guard warned. "The race is in progress. You can't enter the track."

"Our friend is out there," Gray shouted, but the guard would not budge. Gray was about to freeze the stubborn man when he heard running feet behind him.

"Gray!" Levy yelled, and she came jogging up with Gajeel not far behind. "What happened? Where's Lu-chan?"

"That idiot wheel-brain is using Lucy as a power source," he explained. "He doesn't get it. Those drivers are wizards. They can feel the drain."

"Drain?" asked Levy.

Elfman explained, "Racing is a manly sport. It's a delicate balance between pushing the speed and keeping oneself at an ability to drive safely. Edo-Natsu isn't the one using the SE-Plug, so he won't feel the drain of magic. Only Lucy will, and he didn't seem like he was in his right mind to be a man and listen to her. He's not slowing down, which means Lucy can't get him to stop. Making a woman like Lucy suffer is totally not manly!"

"At those speeds," Gray sneered, watching the prototype car outrun the other race cars, "she could die."

"So what do we do?" Gajeel asked, cracking his knuckles to prepare for a fight.

"Nothing," Gray realized with bitter reluctance. "If we forcefully try to stop the race, people will get hurt, and Lucy might end up in a crash. That could definitely kill them both and maybe other innocent bystanders. The race is almost over. His car is still going fast, which means Lucy is still all right, but she's not going to be fine after this, not at those speeds. We need to get Lucy out of there immediately and have a medical team ready."

"Understood," Levy nodded. "Gajeel, we'll round up some healers." The two of them raced off to find help.

Gray grabbed the edge of the barrier until his knuckles turned white. "Lucy," he gritted. "If she's hurt, I'm gonna kill that guy."

Elfman knew how he felt. He had the same feelings of fierce protectiveness toward his sisters. "Don't hurt him too badly. We still need Fireball to get Natsu back."

"Fuck Natsu! He can stay there for all I care. But Lucy..." Gray's brows drew down hard. "Lucy's strong. She'll survive this," he said to convince himself and try to calm down before he did anything stupid.

* * *

Back in the car, Fireball gave the engine one last boost, flooring the accelerator as he pulled away from the pack and sped toward the checkered flag.

"Woohoo! Victory is mine," he grinned as he passed over the finish line. "How was that, Princess?" he cried out happily.

When he looked over, Lucy was slumped in the passenger seat, her face drained of color, the arm with the SE-Plug hanging limply down.

"Princess?" he asked, but she gave no response. "Lucy!" He reached over, but her skin was icy cold. "Shit, no!"

He panicked, cranked the wheel, and made the car spin into the grassy center pit, leaving a curly mark of wheel tracks until finally coming to a stop. He quickly unstrapped her from the plug, and the car instantly went dead. He pulled her into his arms and brushed back her sweaty hair.

"Lucy, wake up!" Her whole body felt cold and limp. "Oh God, no. I...I didn't mean..." He leaped out of the car and looked around at the stadium full of cheering people and cars slowly leaving the track. "Help!" he screamed. "Someone, it's an emergency." Now out of the car, that horrible timidity returned. He felt like cringing down and crying, but his fear for Lucy overwhelmed that instinct. He leaned his head back and shouted, "Somebody, help her. _Please!_ "

Gray and Elfman rushed forward, and with them came some security guards. Elfman pulled Lucy out of the car and lifted her into his arms.

"Ooph! She's heavier than she looks," he grunted, yet still the Take-Over wizard ran off the field to get Lucy to a healer.

Gray watched them go. He saw Lucy's face for only a moment, and the sight of his friend so drained, almost dead, infuriated him. He spun over to Edo-Natsu. "What the fucking hell were you thinking, you goddamn idiot!" he roared with fury he rarely felt toward anyone, even Natsu Dragneel.

Fireball had collapsed back into the driver seat, crying heavily with snot dripping down. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it. I wasn't even thinking. I...I wasn't thinking. I'm so sorry. I never want to hurt Princess. She...she's so kind and...and I...I went and did that! I'm sorry," he wailed.

Gray was ready to punch him until he realized Edo-Natsu was cowering like that while still _inside_ the car. "You're bawling like an imbecile, but you're sitting in transportation? What's up with you?"

Edo-Natsu looked up with a grossly moist face. "Of course I'm crying! Anyone would cry if they hurt someone they really like."

"Really like?" Gray asked suspiciously.

However, right then the security guards arrived shouting at them not to move. Gray sneered at their weapons, then looked down at the sniveling boy. Despite a part of him that wanted to leave Edo-Natsu to get beaten and thrown in jail, he knew he had to take care of him in Lucy's place. Until she was better, Gray would take on her job.

He pulled a piece of paper out of his wallet, slapped it onto the windshield of the car, then grabbed Fireball's wrist and yanked him out. "Run!" he ordered as he pulled him away.

Edo-Natsu tripped after him. "W-w-wait! What are we...?"

"You wanna get arrested? You stole a prototype car, broke through a secure area, illegally entered the racetrack, and endangered the lives of all the drivers. If you want to keep out of jail, run!"

Edo-Natsu smiled that Gray was helping him out.

_So, he's a good guy after all._

"What was that thing you left on the car?" he asked Gray as they leaped over a barrier to escape the racetrack.

"Something I keep with me no matter where I go," the ice wizard replied.

Back at the car, the guards looked around for evidence of who the perpetrators were. That was when they found the paper on the windshield.

_My apologies for the inconvenience. Please charge any damages to Fairy Tail._

The captain of the guard crumpled the paper in his fist and sneered. "Damn those Fairy Tail wizards!"

* * *

Lucy woke up to the feels and smells of her own home. The bed under her was soft with the pillows perfectly fluffed how she liked them. Natsu claimed her room smelled good. She only recognized it after being away from her house for a long time, yet for some reason she smelled it now. It was a scent of vanilla and some flower; Natsu probably knew which. She figured she should ask him one day, what was it about her house that made him love it there. He usually said "because it smells like Lucy." So what did she smell like?

As her eyes slowly opened, she saw fuzzy pink hair and a blurry face looking down at her.

"Natsu?" she mumbled slowly as her mind crept out of the dream world.

Someone squeezed her hand. "Yeah, I'm here, Lucy."

His gentle voice made her smile, and her eyes began to close again. If it was Natsu there with her, then she was safe.

"I'm...I'm s-s-so...so sorry."

Hearing him apologize made her curious. Why sorry? What happened? Why did she feel like she just ran a marathon?

Then flashes of that race came into her mind. She opened her eyes again. It was still Natsu, but the expression was something she had never seen on Natsu Dragneel's face. The area from his eyelids down to his upper cheeks was puffy with swollen pinkness as if he had been crying hard for a very long time, and under this eyes had turned dark from lack of sleep. His lips were pale from being pressed together in worry. Even now, with his face dry and relief tugging a smile, he looked like he was on the brink of tears.

"Fireball," she realized.

He began to open his mouth, yet closed it again. He realized Lucy's smile a moment ago must have been because she thought he was _her_ Natsu. That made the Edolas boy a little sad.

Yet why should he be sad? Surely she wanted to see her friend again. Once Salamander returned, she would probably grin wildly, call out his name with joy, and leap into his arms.

He swallowed something bitter in the back of his throat at the imagery. Of course Lucy wanted Dragneel back! She did not want some meek idiot like _him_. She was stuck at home because she had to take care of _him_ , some poor lost fool from Edolas. She could not go on missions because of _him_ , because the leader of their team was gone, and it was all _his_ fault. And now...now she was lying in bed, pale, weakened, and she had been so close to death, all because _he_ had been a selfish, foolish, idiotic _jackass_ who nearly killed her.

Of course she wanted her Natsu back. She probably _hated_ such a stupid Fireball like him.

"I don't even know how to show you how sorry I am," he said softly. "Bowing my face to the ground won't be enough. Not even getting hit a hundred times would show how horrible I feel for hurting you."

She squeezed his hand. "You didn't know," she said in understanding.

His brows tensed together tighter. "Exactly. I didn't know. It was a vehicle I wasn't used to." He swallowed back tears of self-loathing. "My dad taught me, whenever you sit in a new vehicle, give it a test drive. Even if you're being pursued and you jump into a stolen car, don't push the engine to its limits too soon. You never know at what point the lacrima fuel might destabilize, or the wheel axles might snap, or the steering wheel column might lock up, and then you're in even bigger trouble."

"Igneel taught you about stealing cars?" Lucy asked, unsure whether to laugh or feel sorry for his childhood.

"Once that car started up, it was like my mind blanked out. I thought I'd be fine just feeling the engine, but as soon as I felt it rumbling...I wanted it! I _needed_ it!" he exclaimed passionately, and Lucy saw a little of that wild face. It made her swallow dryly. "I wasn't thinking, I wasn't used to the car, and that race...it took over my thoughts. I felt like I was back home. In our races, we push the car to its structural limits, and when we run out of fuel we make a pit stop for more. But...but I wasn't thinking. _You_ were the fuel, and I selfishly used you up. I guess that's how everyone in Edolas is like, using up magic without thinking of the consequences. No wonder King Jellal took all the magic away. We don't deserve it, just as I don't deserve to drive a car," he muttered sadly.

"Fireball," she began.

He cut her off with tears. "I almost killed you!" he screamed. "I...I didn't realize how...how hard it might be for a wizard to use magic. I thought it was something you guys did without much thought, without anything physical. I figured you Earthland people had endless amounts of magic, and you can drive forever without stopping. I...I got carried away. I haven't been able to drive a vehicle in ages, and I went a little crazy. I ended up hurting you." Tears poured from his eyes, and his lips tightened to hold back the sobs. "I never wanted to do that. You...you've been so kind to me, and I...I sorta li-...I mean..." He dropped his head, cutting off the words he wanted to say. "I can't believe I almost killed you, all for a stupid race."

"Hey," she said gently, and Lucy wiped the tears that tumbled down his cheeks. "Seeing Natsu cry is...really rather awkward," she admitted sheepishly. "Besides, it was sort of fun...when it wasn't scary as hell," she amended. "Also, you look good when you're having fun like that."

He sniffed moistly and looked up in confusion, only to see her blush and look away. "P-Princess," he whispered in wavering hopefulness.

"I forgive you," she said and finally looked back at him. "How about once I rest up a bit, we have another fun day out? I'll rent a car for you to drive, but only if you promise to keep the speed down. Maybe...maybe you can teach me how to drive. I've never done that sort of thing, and I think it'd be fun to learn."

His face brightened up. Lucy chuckled that he had the same huge smile as Salamander. Then Fireball suddenly leaped onto the bed and smothered her in a crushing hug.

"You're the best, Princess!"

She laughed and decided not to shove him off, that way he would not see how red her face was right then. Instead, Lucy wrapped an arm around him and hugged him back. Holding him felt good. He was not as burning hot as Natsu's body felt, but he had an interesting smell to him, not one of fire and dragon musk, but something unique, motor oil, the dust of the road, the smell of a machinist's garage.

Through his shirt, she could feel that he was not as muscular as Natsu Dragneel. She had hugged Natsu—or got crushed in one of his hugs—enough times to know the sinewy feel of his arms, chest, and back. Fireball was skinnier, her arms wrapped around him more, and his back was bony rather than muscular. Not that skinny was a bad thing! It just reminded her more and more that this man was nothing like Salamander...and she sort of liked that about Fireball.

"It's...it's fine, really," she stuttered. "Although, could you loosen up a little? You're squishing my chest."

Suddenly, he became aware of the softness under him, two mounds of plumpness that he had unknowingly smothered. He pulled back quickly, and those twin mounds bounced right back into shape. He could hardly help but stare at them, mesmerized by them. Lucy rubbed where he had crushed down on her breasts, and he watched her hands stroking herself. His fingers practically itched to touch her, yet he clenched his hands to stop himself. He forced his eyes up to her face instead, but even that looked erotic, her cheeks red, her eyes averted bashfully, her lips pouting at such awkwardness. She looked absolutely adorable, cute in a way Lucy Ashley never looked. This was an expression he had never seen from this face. Such a bashful look on the face of a woman he had come to fear...aroused him.

He looked away with a feeling of shame. Then in horror, he realized he was still straddled over her hips and very, very aroused. A bolt of terror shot through him, fear that maybe Lucy could feel his lust, dread at what she would think about it, if she would hate him, feel disgusted at him, or even worse, if she liked it.

What if she liked him? What if she wanted him? He had no clue how to act around women. He had never even had an actual girlfriend, only a few ladies he had picked up in his car, nothing substantial. Besides, she was from another dimension.

Still, his stomach coiled tightly when he looked down at her, looking aside coyly, so innocent lying there under him. If he leaned over, if he covered her with his body, what would she do? He could almost imagine it, her trepidation, the nervous quaver to her voice, her eyes tattling her desires...

He quickly pulled away and sat tightly on the edge of her bed, squeezing his legs together to force down his erection.

For a moment, both were quiet and awkward. Lucy knew what she had felt, that pliant hardness and the heat that radiated from it. It terrified her. With Natsu, she rarely worried about him. Sure, he could be perverted sometimes, but he never gave any hint of being sexually attracted to her. But this guy...Fireball was a mystery, and she had let her guard down. She was curious about him. His face was so like Natsu's yet his body was different. She looked aside, knowing that looking at him would make her stare at his body and wonder about what other changes Fireball had compared to Salamander. Particularly _down there_. She had seen him naked once already, but that was flaccid. How did he look fully aroused? Just how big did he get? She scolded herself for even thinking about such perverted things again, yet her mind still boiled with lewd curiosity.

"Um...Princess," he began hesitantly.

She gulped and looked up at him. She hoped he would not say anything that might make her distrust him. She had to live with him for at least another week. Another part of her waited with eager anticipation. She hoped he said something to make her heart flutter. She wanted to know his thoughts, his feelings, why he had gotten so suddenly aroused. She wanted to know...and she dreaded to find out.

"I...um...well..."

Suddenly, the door burst open. Gray and Erza came in with Happy, Charle, and Wendy behind, all of them with get-well gifts.

"Eek!" Fireball cringed as the two Exceeds flew in. He scampered far away from Lucy's bed and sat in the opposite window as if ready to leap out.

Lucy gave a long sigh as the tension of the moment completely dispersed. Then again, that might be a good thing. The last thing she wanted was a fling with a guy she knew would be leaving soon.

Happy dropped down onto her bed. "Lucy, we were so worried," he sobbed.

Charle huffed in annoyance. "He wouldn't shut up all night."

Gray sat on the edge of the bed and squeezed Lucy's hand. "I knew you were strong enough to make a full recovery."

"Thanks, Gray," she smiled back.

Erza sat on the chair Fireball had been using. "You should still rest for a day or two. The drain on your magic was significant."

Wendy agreed with lots of rest for her patient. "If it weren't for those emergency crews on standby, we might have lost you."

"I admit, I'm still sleepy," Lucy said wearily, "but I feel fine, really. Fireball cooks really well, so he can help out around the house while I recover."

The pink-haired boy grinned, hoping they would forgive him as well. However, Gray gave him a glare that sent icy chills down Fireball's spine.

"You bastard," the ice wizard sneered. "I can't forgive you for doing that to her."

Edo-Natsu made a squeaky noise and cowered down.

Then Erza loomed in on him. "There's a saying: Let the punishment fit the crime. I think we can come up with an appropriate punishment for nearly killing Lucy."

"Waaaaaah!" he sobbed. Suddenly, Fireball jumped out the window. "It's Knightwalker! It's Knightwalker!" he screamed as he ran down Strawberry Street flailing his hands in terror.

"You guys," Lucy sighed, shaking her head at their intimidation, yet she knew they meant no harm. It was easier to mentally terrorize the poor Fireball than physically hurt him.

**End of Chapter 8**


	9. Guild Mates and Nakama

That first week in Edolas was absolute hell for Natsu Dragneel. Although he recovered quickly from Lucy Ashley's torturous foot massage, it was not the only trouble he had when dealing with these other Fairy Tail guild members.

He had one particularly annoying problem. Edo-Romeo followed him everywhere. The thirteen-year-old boy wore a sailor-style school uniform, his dark hair slicked, and glasses on his nose that he pushed up frequently. He tried to imitate Natsu in everything he did. When Natsu awkwardly sat with Edo-Cana for a tea party, he saw Romeo also fumbling with how to hold a teacup until he thought the boy was mocking him. When Natsu got in a fight with Edo-Levy about trying to fix her machine to send him back home, he saw Romeo standing to the side, practicing the same angry facial expressions.

"Romeo has always admired Natsu Dragion," Cana told the dragon slayer during one of their tea parties. "Apparently, during the seven years we were trapped within some dimensional wormhole, he built small go-carts to practice driving, and he learned how to ride a tanchimo really well." She took a long, prim sip from her teacup. "He deeply admires Fireball, so it's not too surprising that he's mimicking you now. Do try to refrain from teaching him bad habits," she said politely yet firmly. "It simply will not do if the lad begins setting draperies on fire."

When the aping boy really began to get on his nerves, Natsu went outside to a grassy clearing for some physical training. If Romeo was going to mimic everything he did, he might as well get a bit stronger. However, Natsu immediately saw that the boy was doing push-ups wrong.

"No, no." The dragon slayer stopped his sets and walked over to the young teen. "Hands farther apart, like this." He set the arms at the ideal spacing to lessen fatigue and maximize muscle use. "Yeah, just like that. Then go down as far as you can without having your body touch the ground." Natsu did five quick push-ups to demonstrate.

"You're really strong," Romeo admired as he did a few push-ups to test out the new technique. "Natsu Dragion wasn't this strong."

"We each fight in our own way," the dragon slayer muttered, and he began to do sit-ups, counting softly at each crunch.

Romeo sat cross-legged and watched Natsu instead of doing more work on his own. "Hey, in your world, are my parents really divorced?"

"Yep," Natsu huffed between crunches. "Macao and his wife split years ago. I'm not sure on the details, but apparently he flirted around too much and she just walked out, leaving him and Romeo...my Romeo," he corrected.

"That's really terrible," the boy muttered. "I'm glad I'm in this world. Mom and Dad are a bit too lovey-dovey. It's gross! But at least they love one another. Hey, is your Cana really a slutty drunk?"

"I don't know about slutty, but she does dress kind of weird, and yeah, that girl definitely loves her alcohol."

"And is it true that your Droy is really fat, and Jet is weak?"

"Well, Droy did put on a lot of weight, and although neither one of them are S-Class at their age, I wouldn't call them weak. No one runs faster than Jet."

"And Earthland's Levy is a bookworm? Is that true?"

"Yep, she's always in the library or bugging Lucy about wanting to read her book."

"Wow, I can't believe your Lucy is a writer. And is it true that in your world, Lucy is really weak and clingy and thinks she's sexy when she's really not?"

Natsu lashed out in anger. "Who told you that?"

"Lucy Ashley. Is it true your Lucy is weak?" the boy asked innocently.

"Lucy is strong," he defended. "She's loyal, and best of all, she's really nice to everyone."

"That's hard to imagine," Romeo chuckled, rocking slightly where he sat. "Hey, is it true that in your world, Gajeel destroyed your guild and defeated Levy _and_ Lucy?"

"That was in the past," Natsu said defensively. "Gajeel's a member of Fairy Tail now, and he gets along with everyone. We've all forgiven him."

"But don't you fight him?" Romeo asked. "You said once that you fight Gajeel sometimes."

Natsu chuckled with a gleam in his eyes and kept on doing sit-ups. "That's because Gajeel is strong, and I like to fight strong people. It makes me stronger, too."

"You're a lot like Lucy," Romeo pointed out, shoving his glasses up his nose. "She's always fighting the stronger guild members. I saw her and Wendy fighting yesterday, although mostly they were just shouting."

Natsu paused and looked up. "Edolas' Wendy is strong?"

"Oh, totally!" Romeo nodded enthusiastically. "Isn't your Wendy strong? You said she's a dragon slayer."

"Yeah, she's strong, but...but she's still a kid. She uses defensive and support magic mostly."

"Wow. Here, Wendy is defensive too, but her martial arts skills almost surpass Lucy's."

Natsu hummed, finding that interesting, then continued with his exercises with a light smile tweaking his lips. He just might have to challenge Edo-Wendy some day. He had never fought against Wendy Marvell because she was only twelve, but this older version of Wendy looked to be the same age as him, so fighting her would be no different than his fights with Erza Scarlet.

Romeo did not stop his talking for long. "Hey, is it true Erza is in your guild, and she's really strong and scary?"

"Strong and scary, definitely." At least that was something everyone in Earthland's Fairy Tail could agree upon. Erza was a monster!

"And Gray," the boy kept on, much to Natsu's annoyance. "Is Gray really a foul-mouthed smoker who runs around naked?"

"Yup."

"And Juvia is a possessive, psychotic stalker?"

"Pretty much."

"And Gildarts destroys everything he touches?"

Natsu chuckled, "Yeah, he's cool."

"And Laxus got kicked out for trying to destroy your town and making all the guild member fight each other? Is that really true?"

"Uh...well, yeah. Wait, what's with all these questions?" Natsu demanded.

"Why do you wanna go back to such terrible people?" Romeo asked in confusion.

Natsu stopped his exercising and sat up on the grass. "Terrible? What do you mean? They're good people, and they're my nakama."

"But they seem so terrible. You said you and Gray are rivals, and you and Gajeel fight all the time, and you and Laxus have fought a bunch of times, and Lucy Heartfilia only uses you because you're strong, and..."

"Lucy doesn't do anything like that," Natsu roared.

"But doesn't she drag you onto missions when she thinks she can't do them on her own?"

"That's part of being on a team. I've invited her on plenty of missions."

"Have you ever taken Lucy on a mission because you felt you weren't strong enough to handle it alone?" asked Romeo.

Natsu's chest puffed out proudly. "I'm strong enough to handle any mission, even S-Class."

"Then you don't need Lucy Heartfilia, but she needs you. She's using you."

"No," Natsu snapped, yet he did not try to justify his answer. It was true that sometimes (not all the time, but occasionally) Lucy asked him to come with her when she felt the fighting would be too hard. Still, that was the whole point of having a team. Natsu brought in raw fighting power; Lucy brought intelligence and wit. They complimented each other: brawn and brains. Or at least, that was how Natsu saw it.

Romeo hummed as he thought about it. "Our guild seems much nicer...other than Lucy being a bit scary. The people here like you. Why would you wanna go back to Earthland?"

"Like I said, they're my nakama. Plus I can't do much magic here. Besides, don't you want your Natsu to return?"

Romeo just shrugged lightly. "Sure, but you're cooler."

Natsu felt honored by the compliment, but he was also troubled by it. He rose to his feet and dusted off grass seeds. "My Romeo is a lot more loyal to his guild mates...and so am I. Try mimicking _that_." Then he headed back indoors to find a place to nap.

* * *

Natsu Dragneel truly felt like he was at his wits' end with this world. He could not stand having his magic so depleted, and these people were no closer to figuring out how to switch him back. In fact, much like with Romeo, they seemed content with keeping him there. Edo-Wendy was always beside him, Mirajane and Elfman seemed ready to adopt him as a brother, and Gray Surge clung to him all the time, much to Natsu's annoyance. They were not treating him as an outsider. They had absorbed him into their guild.

"You're a strong man," Edo-Cana told him over tea that Natsu thought tasted weird and scones that flaked so much, they made a mess on his saucer. "It's only natural that Romeo and the others admire that strength. Our guild suffered a lot. We need strong members. It's not too surprising, is it? Without his vehicle, Fireball Natsu is useless to our guild, at least as a fighter, yet even without your magic, you can put up a good fight."

"Useless?" Natsu roared in anger. "Don't you dare call that guy useless. He's one of your nakama, isn't he?"

"He was unhappy here," Cana explained, calmly sipping her tea. "Some said he had considered leaving the guild many times. This world without magic, without fuel, without his car, is a useless world to Natsu Dragion. He is probably overwhelmed with joy at being in your world, with cars, trains, and flying ships. I doubt he'd want to return."

"So what? What does that have to do with me being trapped here?" Natsu shouted. "Ashley's not even trying to find a way to return me."

Edo-Cana set her teacup down with a clank and stared at him so intently, it had the same effect as Cana Alberona smacking him over the head with a beer stein. "Don't you see? Lucy needs someone to fill the void, not just the fighting power Natsu Dragion had, but emotionally. Like when Lisanna came, we all pretended to think she was our Lisanna, and she did not have the heart to correct us. It was a bandage against the pain. Lucy is trying to do the same thing with you. She's hurting inside, Salamander. She bullied Natsu, but she still liked him. Lucy would not be the same without Natsu, so she cannot give up both him and you. If Natsu Dragion truly was ready to leave Fairy Tail, then of course Lucy would rather have you here and stay in the guild, than to bring him back only to have him leave."

"That's bullshit!" Natsu declared, and he rose up fast.

Gray Surge lumbered over to him wearing five layers of thick coats. "Hey Natsu, where ya goin'? Can I come, too?"

"Outta my way, droopy-eyes," he shouted, and Natsu punched the man in the face since he knew that punching his chest would just be a soft thud into all those layers of clothes.

Edo-Gray fell to the floor and crawled off to the side where he clutched the hem of Edo-Juvia's dress while sobbing heavy tears. "Juvia-sama, Natsu's being mean again. Protect me, Juvia-sama."

"Natsu," Edo-Juvia scolded with a cold glare. "He didn't do anything, so why did you hit him?"

Edo-Gray's eyes brightened. "Juvia-sama cares! Maybe if you kiss my cheek, it'll feel better." He turned his head to the side awaiting a kiss.

Instead, she punched his other cheek to push him away.

"Hey, Natsu!" Edo-Lucy barked, yet he stormed out of the guild building. "Natsu, dammit, get back here and apologize to Gray. Hey, I'm talking to you, bastard. Don't you dare ignore me."

Natsu flipped his middle finger back at her as he walked through the doors. In perfect mimicry, Romeo gave her the same hand gesture. Mirajane came up behind the boy and, all with a smile, smacked him over the head. Then the white-haired woman whispered never to make that gesture again.

"Why that little..." Edo-Lucy ran after the dragon slayer in a fury. Outside, the sun had set and the sky was darkening. "Natsu! Hey! You gonna try running away again? I swear, I'll give you another foot massage." Despite the threat, the dragon slayer kept walking away. "Hey, stop. Natsu! Oi, Salamander!"

At that, he spun around. "So, you can finally call me Salamander, huh? It's been over a week since you called me that. It seems you can finally admit I'm not _your_ Natsu again."

She scoffed at his admonishment. "What the fuck, bastard? Why are you mistreating our guild mates?"

"No, not _our_ guild mates. _Your_ guild mates," he insisted, pointing at her for emphasis. "I'm not a part of this Fairy Tail. Besides, you treat them just as badly."

"It's because I love them. _My_ Natsu understood that."

"Yes, _your_ Natsu. I am not your Natsu!" he roared. A faint flicker barely simmered over his fingers. "Goddammit, I can't even get a decent fire to burn when I'm pissed as hell."

"What's this about?" she yelled.

"Cana said you're replacing your Natsu with me."

Edo-Lucy shrugged. "So? We did that with Lisanna."

"Lisanna accepted it. I won't! I refuse to."

"Why not?" she demanded angrily. "We're treating you good, we feed you as much as you want even if we can barely afford it, we let you rampage..."

"You won't let me go home."

"Fuck, if we knew how, do you think we'd trap you here?" Lucy Ashley ran her fingers through her short, blonde hair in frustration. "It's not like I _want_ you here, ya know. I miss that lousy Fireball. We didn't just give up. Levy has been working full days on the problem. However, we can't recreate whatever happened the first time. Levy thinks it was a mix of our technology and your dragon slayer magic. We obviously can't recreate that if you're here. Which means you're stuck. I'm fucking sorry, okay?" she snapped bitterly.

Natsu glared with a streak of stubbornness. "I won't accept defeat that easily," he declared, then he began to walk away again.

"So what? Ya gonna go out on your own?" she yelled to his back. "You wouldn't survive a week out in this world. You don't know a thing about Edolas."

"I can head to the capitol," he shouted back. "Mystogan...King Jellal...he was a member of Earthland's Fairy Tail. Maybe he has some idea about how to get me back."

"You're running to the king?" she cried out, finally chasing after him. "You...you can't! We're on the run from them."

" _Your_ guild might be. That has nothing to do with me."

"Please, Natsu!" she cried out in desperation. "I..." She stopped short and looked away with angry eyes and blushing cheeks. She could not set aside her pride to say the words. Her teeth ground hard as she tried to think of an excuse. "Ya know, if we figure out what to do, we won't be able to do anything without you here. Maybe you can go shake hands with the king, but we sure as hell can't. If you run off to King Jellal and Knightwalker, there ain't a damn thing we can do to help you. Levy is the only person who knows how the trans-dimensional whatchamacallit even works. Those pansies in the king's labs sure as hell don't know how to get you back if they don't know how you got here in the first place."

Natsu paused as he realized she was right. It was Edo-Levy who built the machine that sucked him here. Only she would be able to figure out how to get him back.

Lucy Ashley smirked at her little victory. "You might as well get comfortable, Natsu. We're the only ones who can get you home."

She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him, burrowing her nose into his scarf. It had such a strong smell that uniquely belonged to this man...something she guessed was a dragon smell. Whenever she got close enough to sniff it, it made her heart race and brought up a deep warmth from the core of her body, as if this dragon slayer could set her on fire with just his aroma.

"We'll keep researching this problem," she whispered, squeezing him tighter to keep him from escaping. "We won't abandon Fireball."

"Sounds like most of the guild already has," he grumbled.

"Well, I fucking won't!" she shouted. Then her face relaxed again, and she hugged him a little closer. Natsu felt her arms trembling. "I'm not so bitchy as to abandon a friend. Still, it could take us months or even years to find a way to get you back home. In the meantime..." She turned him around and gazed up at him with wide, imploring eyes. "Maybe you can come to love this guild just as much as you love your own. We're good people, even if we're a little strange. And you're a good guy. The other guild members like you. I...like you."

Natsu's eyes widened in shock. "L-Lucy!"

"Not Edo-Lucy?" she asked seductively, leaning in closer. "Not _Ashley_? Interesting," she smirked, eyeing him up and down. "I think you're getting closer to us than you imagine. Or maybe," she whispered, leaning directly into his face with a glint in her brown eyes, "that's what scares you!"

Natsu had never seen Lucy Heartfilia look at anyone that way before. Even when she used her sex appeal tactic, it always looked a little silly to Natsu, the way she posed, pouted her lips out, and winked her eye. As if that would turn on any man! But Lucy Ashley's dangerous gaze sent a shiver through him unlike anything he had ever known. The back of his throat felt dry, the pit of his stomach coiled, and he licked his chapped lips in uncertainty and confusion.

What was this odd feeling? She looked ready to attack him, and for some reason...that _thrilled_ him!

Lucy began to lean in closer to his face. Natsu gulped hard, frozen to his spot, staring at her lips with trepidation unlike anything he ever felt when facing an enemy.

"Lucy!" Edo-Wendy walked forward out of the guild building. "Are you out here?"

The blonde froze and rolled her eyes. Tensely, with forced pleasantness to her voice, she replied, "What is it, Wendy?"

"Levy's radar reports an incoming royal flying squad, ETA thirty minutes. By their formation, it's definitely Knightwalker."

"Fuck," she whispered, and she pulled back from Natsu. "Tell Levy to prepare for another jump. Gather everyone into the guild."

"We have two in the nearby town gathering supplies."

"Radio them in. If they're not back in thirty minutes, they get to chase our shadow."

"Wait," Natsu interrupted. "If that's the king, maybe he's here for me."

"And how the hell would the king know about you?" Edo-Lucy reasoned. "Do you think your guild master just called him up on the telephone and said, 'Oh hey, we're missing a dragon slayer, can you send him back to us?' Like hell. Even if he heard about it from that bastard Gajeel, why would King Jellal send his fucking Fairy Hunter out to fetch you unless it's to subdue you and use you for experiments. You wanna be a royal lab rat?" she shouted. "I ain't surrendering any friend to that redheaded bitch Knightwalker. You might not have gotten your guild stamp from us, but you are still a member of Fairy Tail, and you're our nakama now. We'll protect you no matter what." She stomped off shouting orders to everyone standing around outside.

Natsu stayed where he was, watching Edo-Lucy taking command. He had seen Erza lead members of Fairy Tail with this sort of firmness, and members respected her orders, just as these people snapped to obey Ashley. He had always admired Erza for that, and he secretly felt jealous at her strength. He began to feel that same emotion toward Lucy Ashley.

Edo-Wendy came up to him and took his hand. "Come on, Natsu, we should get inside."

"I don't like the idea of simply running away," he stated, although he knew he had no right to tell them that they should stay and fight.

"No one really likes it," the blue-haired woman admitted. "We used to fight them when they came, but we lost too many good people. Now we aren't even as well-armed." She noticed Natsu kept staring strangely at Lucy Ashley. "What is it?" she asked suspiciously. "Did Lucy say anything to you? She didn't threaten you again, did she?"

Natsu opened his mouth to say something, froze, then shook his head. "It's nothing. Stupid, really. It's just, for a moment there...well, I thought Lucy was actually going to kiss me." He laughed and scratched at his pink hair. "Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? Someone like her falling for someone like me! Man, my head must really be messed up."

Instead of laughing along with him, Wendy's eyes widened in silent fury, and her hands tightened with jealous anger. "Don't let her kiss you."

Natsu looked down at her. "Huh? Do you think she really was trying to?"

Edo-Wendy began to think fast. "It's...it's Lucy, after all. If she was about to kiss you, it must have been some attack. You know, like...like kiss you and then bite your tongue to hold you still while she cracks your spine in a body squeeze."

"Yikes!" Natsu shivered. "That must have been it, I guess. She was afraid I'd run away again, so she must have been about to do something painful to stop me."

"Yep, definitely," Edo-Wendy said with a silent sigh of relief. Then she took Natsu's hand possessively. "I'll show you a good place to stay during a trans-dimensional jump, a place where maybe you won't get sick this time. Just stay close to me, Natsu."

He grinned as he followed her. "Thanks, Wendy."

The buxomly blue-haired woman shot a vicious glare at Edo-Lucy, who spared a quick and equally caustic leer back at her. Natsu walked on, completely oblivious to the tension forming between the blunette and the blonde.

**End of Chapter 9**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _It's that time of year again. November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), a worldwide writing contest which I participate in vigorously every year. I'm attempting to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. If you want to be writing buddies or check out my progress, I'm "Rhov" on the Nanowrimo website:[nanowrimo.org/en/participants/rhov](http://nanowrimo.org/en/participants/rhov). Wish me luck!_


	10. Money Troubles and Love Troubles

Lucy sat at her desk wearing her reading glasses and chewing on the tip of a pencil. She occasionally gave soft growls and mutters of "No, no, it's all wrong here," followed by erasing and writing something else.

Fireball Natsu entered from the kitchen cheerfully carrying a tray. "Snacks, Princess," he called out happily.

"Yeah, yeah," the blonde muttered, not even looking up as she waved for him to set down the coffee and biscotti.

He placed the tray on a table and poured her a cup. As he sat the coffee cup and saucer beside her, he looked over her shoulder and down at the paper that was making her brow crease so tightly. "Trouble with your novel? M-may-...Maybe I can help. My dad Igneel taught me how to read, and although I've never written anything as awesome as a book, maybe...you know...I could...inspire you?" He offered his help so timidly with a doubtful look on his face, yet he looked eager to help in any way to repay her for housing him.

Lucy still hunched over the thing she was writing. "Not unless you're good in calculating inflation of the Jewel in Fiore and the going rate of fish at the local docks."

"Ah...um...no," he blushed. "A book on finances?"

She pointed out what she was actually working on, a spreadsheet of expenses and income. "Master Makarov agreed to pay my rent, but I really don't have money for food since I have to feed you, too."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Fireball cried, dropping to his knees and covering his head. "I'll stop eating. I don't have to eat."

"Don't be an idiot," she sighed. "Still, I'm truly out of money. That previous job with Natsu led to a lot of destruction, and I didn't get the full reward since we had to pay for damages. So I have a lot less in the bank than I had counted on. Even if you weren't staying with me, I would have had to take a few small jobs just to pay for food."

"I'm sorry," he whined.

Lucy glanced over and saw him curled on the floor covering his head as if he was expecting to be smacked. "I'm not going to hit you," she assured. "Get up."

Slowly, Fireball uncurled from his position and rose back to his feet, twitching as he prepared for a blow that never came.

"Honestly," Lucy said in a grumbling tone and a pout that showed reluctance to admit this, "my food bill is a lot less with that fire-breathing idiot gone. He and Happy used to sneak in here and eat up all my food, and those two can really stuff themselves with no consideration that food costs money."

"Oh," Fireball whispered, looking aside as he tried to decide if Lucy meant that she missed such crazy antics, or if she preferred his own modest way of preparing meals for both of them.

"Still, I have no more money. I've calculated it a dozen different ways, but even without needing rent money, I'll be completely broke by next week. I could ask Erza for a little bit, but her rent is outrageously high. I'd hate to borrow from the guild funds when they're already paying my rent." She gave a humming growl and chewed on her pencil more as she glared at the numbers in her ledger. "I guess I could pawn off some things and then just buy them back when Natsu gets home and we can go on missions again."

Edo-Natsu felt immensely guilty. She was stuck at home because of him. "How...how long would it take?"

"An hour tops, just walk down to the pawn shop and..."

"No, I mean...I mean to...to do a mission?"

She glanced up at him in surprise, but the boy could not meet her gaze. That was when Lucy saw how much guilt was wracked over his blushing face.

"A day or two, depending on the job. However, I'm supposed to watch over you. Even with the simple jobs, it might be unsafe to take you along, and we need you to be safe if we want to switch back you and my Natsu."

Fireball nodded reluctantly. He had to remind himself, that was the whole reason Lucy was taking such good care of him: she wanted _her_ Natsu to return. She wanted him back, reunite their team, go on missions, hang out and have fun. She did not care about him; she only needed him to get back Salamander.

"You know, I...I've adjusted well," he mumbled, scratching his pink hair awkwardly. "I know how to work all the appliances in your house. There aren't many magical items here, besides your private stuff, and I don't touch those things. I could...well, maybe...just stay home," he eked out. "You...you should go. You shouldn't hold yourself back just because of me, and...and I'll watch over the house while you're gone." He forced a smile, although his hands shook. "Just think of me as a house-sitter."

Lucy smiled plaintively at his bravery. When Fireball first arrived, he was nearly too scared to look at her, let alone tell her what to do. She saw how he had grown bolder by living in Magnolia.

"I just might take you up on that offer," she decided. "How about after our snack, we go to the guild and I'll look for a job? I'm sure you'd like to talk to Lisanna more, anyway."

"Huh? Oh," he said, and Fireball shrugged a little. "I only sort of knew her in Edolas, not really well. She stood up for me against Lucy a few times, but we weren't close friends or anything."

"I see. Still, you two do have something in common. You were both residents of Edolas, if only for a few years."

"Yeah, I...I guess," he mumbled.

"Well then, while I'm gone you can call on her if you need help. She's a nice girl, and everyone knows she used to have a huge crush on Natsu."

"Lisanna did?" he asked in surprise as they began to eat the biscotti and coffee he had prepared.

"Sure, they were practically engaged."

Edo-Natsu looked completely stunned by the news. "Then why...w-why didn't she act that way around me in Edolas? She never once acted like she liked me."

"Easy. Salamander is Salamander and Fireball is Fireball. Just because you two look alike, you are nothing at all similar in personality," she chuckled, then bit into her biscotti. "It's pretty cheap, if you think about it," she said with her mouth full, "to transfer your feelings for someone onto another person just because they look alike."

Edo-Natsu suddenly stood up. "I...I have to...to go." With his eyes closed, he rushed off to Lucy's bathroom and slammed the door shut.

She looked back in confusion. "Did the coffee hit him that fast?" She shrugged and sipped some more, humming in delight. "I think his coffee might actually beat Mira's."

In the bathroom, Edo-Natsu stood by the sink with his face covered, running the faucet to mask over sniffles. His shoulders shook, and he bit his lips hard to hold back the sound of sobs.

"You're an idiot, Natsu," he whispered to himself through a convulsing, clenched chest. "Of course she doesn't like me. Salamander is Salamander, and he's the one she likes. He's _her_ Natsu. I'm nothing more than a freeloader, some stranger who crashed into her life, eats up her food...someone she has to watch over to get her Salamander back. There's no way she'd..." He slowly peeked through his hands and up to the mirror. He saw the pink tint to his eyes and a faint reflection of moistness on his cheeks. "Why the hell are you crying over Princess?" he asked himself bitterly. "Do you think you're in love or something? That's just dumb!" He sighed and dropped his head pathetically. "Yeah...real dumb. You're a real idiot, Natsu."

* * *

In the guild hall, Makarov had called a meeting of Levy and Freed to discuss the situation of the two Natsus.

"Any luck in figuring out how to switch them back?" the Master asked.

"I'm not a hundred percent sure," Levy began, "but I think Edo-Gajeel was on to something. Since my Edolas version powered her transporter at the exact same time that Natsu was starting a huge attack, his magic, the runes the enemy was using, and the Edolas invention all worked together to create the switching of bodies. We would need to find that dark wizard, find out what runes he used, copy them, and then create magic of similar magnitude to smash against those runes at the same time that Edolas fires up their wormhole device and aims it at Natsu."

"The problem is," Freed pointed out, "this is impossible. In theory, Edo-Natsu must be at the nexus point of the magic for the bodies to switch, yet he can't use magic. If Levy is right, the magic must be dragon slayer magic, and not just any normal breath attack, but one of their secret arts magic attacks. If Natsu Dragion got hit with something like that, it would severely maim him, possibly even kill him, before it had a chance to force him back to Edolas."

"That is not an option," Makarov said sternly.

Mirajane came up with a tray of drinks for all of them. "Does it really have to be dragon slayer magic?" she asked.

"We don't know for sure," Levy admitted. "With any luck, we'd merely need a really powerful spell, something strong enough to act as a beacon to cut through the dimensions. However, anyone who uses magic outside of those runes may be caught up in the vortex."

Freed explained, "Lucy and the dark wizard were protected by the runes, which shattered _after_ the wormhole closed, likely due to the force of the closure rather than Natsu's attack itself, since by the time the barrier broke, it was Fireball hitting the barrier, not Salamander. Fireball said his knuckles hurt, so it was his fist that collided, and a normal human's hand couldn't have defeated magical runes like that. So we don't need anyone inside the runes. We only need them as a barrier to the magic, a way to stall it, contain it, keep it from dispersing too fast. It very well may be that the runes and Natsu's attack synchronized somehow. If that's so, then dragon slayer magic might be the key, and that's troublesome. If not, if simply a high-level magical burst is needed, then there's still the problem of any wizard who creates that burst faces a strong chance of being sucked into Edolas as well."

"There's one chance," Levy suddenly realized, which surprised all of them. "Lucy's Celestial Spirits can vanish back to the Spirit World."

Freed shook his head. "Closing a celestial gate usually involves an agreement between both Spirit and Owner. Lucy can force-close gates, but we don't know if that would affect a Spirit suddenly sucked into another dimension. The stronger Spirits should be able to shut their own gates, but there's a minuscule chance that the Spirit might wind up trapped in Edolas with no ability to return home. If that were to happen..." His words drifted off in worry.

Makarov understood perfectly. "It's a death sentence to a Celestial Spirit."

"Loke," Mirajane said cheerfully. "Even if he does get trapped, he can survive at least three years."

"That was three years in a magic-enriched environment," Freed warned. "It might be less in Edolas. We simply don't know. However, I concur with Mira. Loke is the most powerful Zodiac Celestial Spirit. If anyone can come close to the devastating magical power of a dragon slayer, it would be Leo the Lion."

Makarov hummed at all this news, stroked his mustache, then took a long drink. "We'll ask Lucy to call out Loke and ask if he agrees to help. I won't force him to make a potential sacrifice like this. I'll send Gajeel to fetch the dark wizard who cast the runes so we know precisely how to recreate the same situation as before."

"We should hurry, though," Levy warned.

Makarov arched an eyebrow. "Why? Is there a time limit for this to work?"

"I don't think so," she said hesitantly, "but...well, Lucy seems to be falling for Edo-Natsu, and he definitely has romantic feelings for her. It's pretty obvious."

"I see," Makarov muttered. "That definitely poses a problem. Since it's Lucy's Celestial Spirits who must be used for this to work, it would be troublesome if she wasn't one hundred percent in agreement with sending Edo-Natsu away. Plus if a similar romantic situation is happening in Edolas, Natsu might not want to return at all."

Levy sputtered out her drink and quickly covered her mouth with a napkin. "Natsu? Falling in love?"

"It does seem unlike him," Mirajane had to admit, tittering softly.

"More like impossible," Levy exclaimed between laughs. "I don't think that guy has reached the point of noticing girls at all."

Freed solemnly said, "You'd be surprised what can attract a man to a woman."

"Indeed," Makarov nodded sagely. "If we and our Edolas counterparts are opposites, and Lucy finds Edo-Natsu to be attractive, it's highly possible that Edolas' Lucy might find Natsu to be desirous, too. Whether he reciprocates is impossible to guess."

"Not a chance," Levy giggled.

"However," Makarov warned, "it's up to Mystogan...King Jellal...to find Natsu. We'll do our part here to prepare. Get to work on it."

"Understood," they all nodded.

Mirajane drifted back to the bar to wash more glasses. Only a few minutes later, Lucy and Edo-Natsu entered the guild hall.

"Fireball!" came a low roar of greetings.

Mirajane chuckled to herself. "My, he's getting popular around here."

The pink-haired teen blushed at all the greetings. His guild used to cheer for him in the same way whenever he returned from one of his long drives. He went off to talk to Lisanna while Lucy came up to the bartender.

"Hey Mira, any easy jobs?" she whispered.

Mirajane tilted her head in question. "I thought you were off from missions."

"Yeah, but I'm out of food money. Just something short and simple; the reward doesn't have to be much."

Mirajane smiled in understanding. She knelt under the bar and rose up again with a piece of paper. "I was saving it for Romeo, but he got in trouble at school and is grounded from doing missions for a week."

Lucy read through the flier and grimaced. "Yeah, definitely something a child could do, although some of the demands are...weird. Still, the reward will feed me and Fireball for a month."

Mirajane gave her a sly smile. "Do you think he'll be around that long?"

"Who knows?" Lucy mumbled, reading the details of the mission. "It seems like Edolas' Fairy Tail is on the run. Could be only days before Knightwalker catches them, could be weeks. They managed to run away from her for years before King Faust was dethroned."

"True. What do you think about that?"

"About what?" Lucy mumbled, squinting as she read the small print. "What's this about leopard print boots? Who the heck demands that?"

"About Natsu being gone for months or years. Are you okay with that?"

Lucy nearly dropped the paper. Her face contorted in sadness, and her eyes drifted away. She saw the table where their group often sat. She saw the seat where Mirajane had hinted that maybe Natsu liked her, and she recalled how self-conscious that made her for days. One of the hall pillars still had scorch marks from one of Natsu and Gray's fights. Regardless of his destructive ways, Fairy Tail could never be the same without Natsu. He was such an intricate part of the guild, and such an important element in her life.

To live for years without Natsu Dragneel around was utterly unthinkable!

"What is there to question?" Lucy replied sadly, her gaze wistfully glancing around at the wood beams of the ceiling, the proud banners, the lights, the tables, the drinks, and the cliques of wizards. "I want Natsu back, of course. He's loud and destructive and annoying, but the guild is too quiet without him."

"Would you be okay to watch over Fireball for weeks, maybe even months? I'm sure it's already getting annoying, having him around all the time."

Lucy blushed faintly. "You know, that guy is really capable. You wouldn't guess it when you first see him. I wouldn't mind a roommate like that. Still, if it's going to be long-term, he's smart enough to manage on his own. He might do really well living in Magnolia. Who knows? Maybe he'll want to stay. Having two Natsus around couldn't be that bad, right?" Then her face firmed stubbornly and she tapped the request sheet hard. "Sign me up for this one. I can do it and be back in a day."

Mirajane confirmed the mission and decided not to tell Lucy that in order to get back Natsu, Fireball would have to leave.

**End of Chapter 10**


	11. Cat Fights and Cuteness

Natsu was doing something he rarely ever did. He was reading a book.

He had seen the book in a tiny library the Edolas Fairy Tail had, not much more than a few shelves crammed full with beaten bindings. What caught his attention was the name of the author: Gildarts Nash. He simply had to know if it was the same Gildarts. There was only a little information on the author, but it seemed to be Edolas' Gildarts. The story was a hot romance, sickeningly sweet at times, dangerously seductive in other places. Natsu was shocked at first, then guiltily intrigued, and finally so engrossed that he kept on reading. Still, some things in the author's descriptions bothered him.

"What the hell is with _rippling muscles_?" he wondered aloud.

"Women like it."

Natsu jolted at the voice. He had been too caught up in the scene, where it seemed like the female protagonist was about to take the male rescuer to her bedroom to reward him. Natsu wondered what cool reward she would give, and why it involved "slowly unbuttoning his silken shirt, smoothly caressing the fabric off his bronzed skin, until the rippling muscles of his broad chest gleamed in the lambent candlelight." Natsu was so eager to find out what her reward was going to be, he had not heard Edo-Cana enter the library, carrying a saucer and teacup with her.

"Gildarts Nash is a famous romance novelist," she told him as she entered and took a seat at a window-side chair with a small table perfectly built for her dainty teacup. "He used to belong to this guild, but he left many years ago to pursue a career as a writer. He travels the world to collect stories, and he drops off free copies of his trashy, smut-filled novels from time to time. We haven't seen him in a few months."

Natsu looked down at the book. "I can't imagine Gildarts Clive as a writer."

Edo-Cana lifted her cup to her lips. "I can't imagine Lucy Ashley as a writer. To each their own." She took a genteel sip. "Speaking of Lucy, Gray thought you should know that she's currently fighting with Wendy. It appears to be quite the cat fight."

"Fighting?" Natsu asked. "I mean, that's normal in my guild, but I haven't seen any real brawls since I got here, besides Lucy and Levy bickering all the time."

"It is strange," Edo-Cana mused. "Especially since both of them mentioned your name. I didn't stay long enough to find out the cause. Not my concern, and they were disturbing my teatime. Darjeeling goes bad with bickering."

Natsu realized he should check it out. If they were fighting because of something he did, then he would sort it out. He was already such an inconvenience to this guild, so the last thing he wanted was to have friends fighting because of him. Still, he had no clue what he did that would make Edo-Lucy, who loved everyone in the guild, to fight with Edo-Wendy, who seemed to get along with everyone. He wondered if it had anything to do with the massage oil Edo-Wendy had used on him the other day. It was sweet of her to want to rub his back, although then she wanted to rub his chest, too. That was strange, but Natsu had just laid there and tried to enjoy it. The oil smelled funny, though. It made his head dizzy, and instead of working out his muscles, Edo-Wendy's hands had merely glided over his skin, hardly doing anything useful to help make his muscles feel better.

"I wonder if that has anything to do with the whole _rippling muscles_ thing," he mused to himself. "Cana said women like it, and the lady in Gildarts' book just rubbed her hands over the man's chest, same as what Wendy was doing to me."

Edo-Wendy had poured on lots of the funny-smelling oil, rubbing further and further down Natsu's torso, almost down to his pants. The smell had just begun to make Natsu want to go to sleep when Edo-Lucy practically broke the door down. She smashed the vial of oil and began screaming some word Natsu did not know.

"Oh right!" he recalled. "I wanted to look that up in a dictionary. I wonder what's an _afro-dee-zee-ack_. I don't even know how to spell it. I could maybe ask Edo-Cana."

He entered the main guild hall just in time to see people running toward the door. Outside, he heard cheers and shouts, then suddenly a woman's scream. He knew Lucy's screams, and that was not it, so he guessed it was the older Wendy's voice.

"Natsu!" Edo-Romeo ran forward with a pale face and his school uniform out of order. "You have to stop them. Lucy and Wendy, they were talking, and suddenly they began beating each other up. Wendy, she...she tried to run away." He pointed a shaking finger to the door. "Lucy went after her. You need to save Wendy."

Edo-Mirajane came up and put her hand on the boy's shoulder. "It's okay, Romeo. I know you care a lot for Wendy, but she's fine."

The boy looked up at her with tearful eyes. "But she ran away, and Lucy ran after her."

"No, Wendy is a special fighter. To fight best, she needs room, and the guild hall's roof is too low. She's known as _The Sky Maiden_ for a reason, you know."

Natsu's eyes narrowed at he looked at the crowd still trying to squeeze through the narrow door. "So they're fighting outside?"

"You shouldn't go, Natsu," Edo-Mirajane warned. "They're fighting over you."

"Which is why I need to go," he insisted, ready to stomp to the door.

The white-haired woman moved swiftly in front of his way. "Then are you ready to pick one?"

"Huh?" His head tilted to the side in confusion. "Pick one? You mean to punish for fighting? I don't really care who started it."

"I mean pick one of the girls. Who do you like more: Lucy or Wendy?"

"I like both of them the same," he shrugged. "Now, if you'll excuse me..." He went around her and shoved his way through the crowd by the door.

She sighed and shook her head. "He really doesn't get it."

Natsu stepped outside and saw a circle of guild members gathered around the front of the tree-building. Someone was taking bets while the others cheered. Shoving his way forward, Natsu finally came to the middle of the circle only to stare in awe. Lucy Ashley was standing alone in the center. High above her head, Edo-Wendy seemed to be standing in midair.

"What the...?" Natsu grabbed the nearest person to him, who happened to be the super skinny Edo-Droy. "How is Wendy doing that? Is she...flying?"

"Flying? No way, mate," Edo-Droy laughed. "She's the Sky Maiden."

"My Wendy is called that too, but not because she can float in the air."

"It looks that way, doesn't it," Edo-Droy nodded. "Take a closer look."

Lucy Ashley growled in frustration as she glared up at the blue-haired woman. "Come down here and fight me, you bitch!"

Edo-Wendy taunted back. "Come up here and catch me, barbarian."

Edo-Lucy threw a rock up at her, and Edo-Wendy lightly stepped to the side. When she did, Natsu saw a faint flash at her feet. He also realized she moved in a very straight pattern. He squinted a bit tighter at the flashes that appeared at her shoes.

"A rope?" Natsu asked.

"Thread from one of the anthro-spiders in the southern jungles of Edolas," Edo-Droy corrected. "Wendy lived there for a while, kind of a tribal thing. She gets that thread from the spider folks and uses it in her fights. She's almost completely defensive when it's hand-to-hand, but her specialty is aerial attacks. Give her ten minutes and she can rig a battlefield up with enough of her spider threads so she can go just about anywhere. They're invisible until the sun hits them just right. Sharp, too. I've seen royal Fairy hunters nearly slice their heads clean off their necks after walking into a low line."

"Ehh!" Natsu cried out. "And she has these set up all around the guild?"

"Oh, she makes sure she sets them far above anyone's heads. The tallest guild member can leap as high as they want, and they won't hit those threads. Only if we know we're about to be attacked, then she might set up a few low lines to stop incoming soldiers and defend the guild, giving us enough time to escape."

"If they're sharp, how can she walk on them?" asked Natsu.

"Special shoes. Notice she's wearing gloves, too. They protect her skin. Ooh, it looks like Wendy is about to make her move. I wonder where Levy is. She'd love to see these two go at it."

Edo-Wendy had been standing on the thin thread, balancing herself with ease, staring down at the blonde juggernaut for an opening. She reached to her side where she kept a leather pouch. Natsu had seen her wearing it all the time but never bothered to ask what was in it. Money, he had assumed. Instead, Edo-Wendy pulled out a round glass marble. She flicked it, and the first one hit Ashley in the shoulder hard. The blonde backed off, rubbing out the tiny bruise. The next marble hit the blonde's leg, making her flinch and back up more. The third, Edo-Lucy managed to bat away with the bracer on her arm, but it was followed by a quick fourth marble that hit her right between the eyes. Edo-Lucy was stunned, and for just a few seconds her vision went blurry. It was enough time for Edo-Wendy.

The blue-haired woman leaped with a shout and brought both fists down onto Ashley's shoulder, pummeling her to the ground. The circle of watchers backed away a few steps to let them fight, but the cheers all around rose in volume. Natsu watched with his mouth dropped open. The attack lasted less than five seconds, but Edo-Wendy's hands hit vital points on Lucy Ashley's body, stiff fingers stabbing at her liver, a seemingly harmless poke to the lower arm that struck the medial nerve, making the blonde's whole arm go numb; a jab to the chest just above the heart, then a swift chop to the neck.

It was all done so fast, Natsu barely saw the moves: stab, poke, jab, chop, then Edo-Wendy used a hook on a short stick to latch onto a thread above her head, swung up and around, and landed with the grace of a gymnast onto the nearly invisible line. She perched there, gazing down hard at Ashley, waiting to see how her swift attack affected her prey.

Edo-Lucy was more than just stunned. She nearly collapsed to the ground. The hit to her liver made her whole gut contract until she could not stand erect and wanted to vomit. The hit to her arm had numbed her until she could not even lift the dead weight. The strike to the chest left her breathless, and she swore her heart stopped for a brief moment. Edo-Lucy had barely managed to lean away from the neck chop. At full strength, it would knock the largest opponent unconscious, possibly killing them. Instead, Edo-Lucy's head was dizzy and her ears rang loudly. She could barely hear the voice that shouted right behind her.

"Stop this!"

Natsu? Why would Natsu stop a fight? The timid boy didn't have the balls to break up a fight like this. Edo-Lucy shook her head. Hearing things? Her mind wasn't working right. She saw a dark shape in front of her. Had Edo-Wendy's attack truly darkened her vision? Then color came slowly. Pink. And white. She focused on that pink and tried to listen to the words this interloper was saying.

Natsu had leaped in front of Ashley as soon as he realized she was hit too hard to fight more. Edo-Wendy's attack had been impressive, but Natsu hated to see Lucy get hurt...even if this was a different Lucy.

"Why are you fighting?" he demanded, staring up at the blue-haired woman whom he had come to trust.

Edo-Wendy stiffened that he had chosen to rescue her rival. "We're fighting over you, Natsu. Lucy likes you, but I like you, too."

Natsu scoffed softly. "Well that's good, because I like you both."

Lucy Ashley grabbed onto his scarf with her good hand to keep herself from falling. She could use a friend to lean upon, but she refused to fall to her knees. "Not that type of _like_ , idiot!"

Natsu tilted his head in confusion. "What other type of _like_ is there? I like Lucy, and Wendy, and everyone in Edolas' Fairy Tail. I even like Elfman!"

Edo-Gray came forward with hopeful eyes. "Oh Natsu, does that mean you like me, too?" He hugged the dragon slayer with a sniffle of happiness. "Finally, we can be best buddies again."

Natsu shoved him away. "Hell no! Stop clinging to me, droopy-eyes! And don't say _again_. You were buddies with Dragion, not with me."

"Aphro-..." Lucy began to say, but her dizziness was getting worse.

Natsu looked back at her. "Huh? Afro? You want an afro wig?"

"No! Shut up! Aphrodisiac...Wendy was...ugh!" She rubbed out the arm as feeling came back like pins and needles. "Wendy was drugging you with an aphrodisiac. That's why I hit her."

"You mean the oil?" Natsu asked. "What's an afro-whatever anyway?"

"Lucy!" Edo-Wendy shouted. She raised another marble and tossed it hard.

Natsu reached up and blocked it, but he felt how hard the glass ball had been thrown. "Ouch!" he yelped, shaking out the sting to his hand "Hey, if you hit her in the head with that, you could take out her eye."

"Good!" Edo-Wendy sneered, and she pulled out another marble.

"No!" Natsu yelled, angry now. "I won't let you hurt your nakama."

He breathed a thin, weak flame. The thread Edo-Wendy was standing on burned and snapped. She fell to the ground, but there was a rumble in the dirt. Everyone standing around braced themselves as the ground trembled.

"Edoquake!" someone shouted.

As the land trembled, the fire quickly spread along the strands, until a web of fire burned above their heads. The guild members began to flee from the snapping whips of flaming spider silk and the shaking land. Edo-Wendy was on her hands and knees where she fell, unable to walk with the rumbling under her. Slowly, the quake subsided. She growled as she looked around at her careful construction burning down.

"You idio-..." She stopped when she saw Natsu lying unconscious on the ground. "Natsu!"

Edo-Lucy was at his side. "He went pale and fainted. That's the first time he's managed to breathe fire since coming here. Maybe it was too much."

"Magic deprivation," Edo-Wendy realized. "And he can't generate more while in this world. He needs to rest. I...I don't know what might happen if all of his magic is used up. Come on, we need to get him to his bed."

Lucy glared up at the woman. "I don't trust you around him."

"Dammit, Lucy!" Edo-Wendy shouted. "I care for him, so I'm not going to do anything to hurt him."

"Just drug him, huh?"

She glared coldly. "How many times have you come to me for one of my lust potions, Lucy? You're just as guilty."

"Never against Natsu!"

"You didn't have feelings for Fireball Natsu. I don't understand why you suddenly care so much for Salamander."

"That's my line! Why are you lusting after this Natsu?"

Edo-Wendy smirked and shrugged nonchalantly. "He's my type."

Ashley glared at that smug face. "Which is what? Muscular and a big dick?"

"Is it really big? I wonder how you know that, Lucy. Been peeping in on the boys' bathroom again? We all know you love to watch Natsu Dragion in the bath. Are those two the same size _down there_?"

Caustically, Edo-Lucy growled, "How would you know how big our Natsu is? One of your _medical checkups_?"

"No. Have you ever gone riding in Natsu's car, Lucy?" Edo-Wendy asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "He's quite...rambunctious."

"You motherfuc-..."

Just then, some of the flaming strands fell down on top of them. They both worked fast to brush the fire off of themselves and Natsu's clothes.

"This isn't over between us, cunt," Lucy Ashley growled. "But for now, let's get him inside."

"That's what I was trying to say earlier, barbarian," the blunette huffed, and together they pulled Natsu inside the guild building.

* * *

Natsu awoke in the bed he had been using since arriving, Natsu Dragion's bed inside the guild dorms. He felt horrible, just like the time he ate etherion. Every muscle ached as if acid had slowly poured through his veins and set his whole body into a feverish agony. Just opening his eyes was a task he struggled to accomplish.

He saw blue hair, then a face turned toward him. Edo-Wendy looked a little colder now, but she managed a small smile.

"You're safe. There's nothing we can do about your body. We're not really sure what happened. Try to rest."

Natsu wanted to struggle against the sinking darkness, but her calm voice convinced him it was okay to slip away into oblivion. She would be by his side. She would keep him alive. Because in all honestly, Natsu felt ready to die.

He woke up again to a smell. This time it was Edo-Cana beside him dressed in her high-collared gown and frilly brimmed hat. She held a soup spoon and blew on it. Carefully, she brought the spoon to Natsu's mouth. Without thinking, with barely enough strength to move his jaw, he wrenched his mouth open and let the chicken broth slide down his throat. Just gulping sent a spike of pain through his neck and radiated down to his chest.

"You need to eat. You're getting thin lying there."

"How...long?" Natsu croaked out.

"This is the third day since the edoquake."

"Edoquake? Like an earthquake?"

"Is that what you call them? I guess in Earthland, you would call them earthquakes. Sounds odd, though."

Natsu's head swam in pain and drowsiness. "Don't remember a quake."

She paused with the spoon about to lift out of the soup. "We thought you had something to do with it. You used magic, then there was an edoquake. It matters little for now, I suppose. Eat up."

She brought the spoon to his mouth again. Natsu obeyed, although he personally wished it was someone other than Edo-Cana to feed him. She was nice and everything, but he half expected to taste a shot of whiskey in the broth. She also kept a stone cold face as she did her task. He would have liked some small talk, even if he could not speak easily. The silence made him feel sleepy. The soup was barely halfway finished when Natsu leaned his head back and fell into a sudden sleep.

When he awoke again, his body felt better. There was only one issue: he was _starving_.

The guild seemed to have been ready for this. Edo-Mirajane had plenty of meat cooked and ready for him. Everyone encouraged him to eat to his heart's content. Natsu gorged himself, people around him expressed relief in his recovery, and Edo-Romeo bounced around in his seat, talking quickly as he told Natsu all about his school lessons. The dragon slayer felt glad to have friends around again.

"Where's Lucy and Wendy?" he asked.

Those words froze the rest of the guild. Natsu suddenly found the chunk of meat in his mouth too big to swallow.

It was Edo-Romeo who informed him, "Wendy is in town. You burned up all of her spider silk, so she had to write to the anthro-spiders for more. Lucy is on patrol outside. You...maybe shouldn't bother her. She's been in a really bad mood."

Natsu swallowed hard, then wiped his mouth clean. "Well, it's apparently my fault, so I have to figure out how to make things better."

Gray Surge looked worried. "Really, Natsu, you shouldn't..."

The dragon slayer ignored the thickly dressed man and jogged out into the bright morning sunshine. It felt good to breathe fresh air again and move his muscles around. Natsu almost wanted to go running around the guild building just to get in exercise, but first he focused on the blonde in black leather standing by a massive stack of dry wood. Edo-Lucy heard him approaching and glanced back.

"You're up, just like Wendy predicted. She might not be a doctor, but she has an uncanny knack for healing...when she wants to help someone. Seems she likes helping you." That last part came out bitterly.

"I still don't get why you two were fighting," Natsu said, approaching her despite her apparent foul aura.

"Easy. My duty is to protect the people in this guild. The former master charged me with that just before he died. I take my promise to him seriously. I found out Wendy was using a drug on you, something to make you...well, horny."

Natsu raised an eyebrow at that. "The funny smelling oil? It didn't really make me horny, just dizzy."

"Maybe because your sense of smell is so acute, it didn't work. Still, that was a horrible thing for her to do."

"Why would Wendy drug me with something like that?"

Lucy glared harshly at him. "Why do you think?" However, she saw in his perplexed face that Natsu truly had no clue. "Fuck, I hate how innocent you are. Look, she did that because she likes you."

"Then it was a good oil, if she likes me. Although her massage was weird."

"Idiot! She wasn't massaging you. She was trying to get you turned on."

Natsu merely shrugged. "She was doing it wrong, then. It was just weird. So Wendy was doing that to see if I'd get aroused? I still don't get it."

"Goddammit!" Edo-Lucy screamed. "No one is that idiotic."

She grabbed the back of his head, clutching her fingers into his pink hair to keep him from pulling back. Natsu knew he could have fought her off, but hitting Lucy felt...wrong. Even if this was not _his_ Lucy, she was still Lucy. That logic made perfect sense to him, at least.

"Do you know what it is to lust after someone, Natsu?" she asked in a low, threatening voice laden with carnal desire.

He blushed slightly. "Lust? I...well...no, not really, I guess."

Natsu tried to swallow, but it got stuck in his throat. Her aggressiveness immobilized him. Just like how Erza scared the crap out of him, he felt a little terrified of Edo-Lucy, yet he did not know why. What was it with tough girls that always made him freeze up?

Edo-Lucy gave a grin like a cat about to pounce on a bird. "I'm not gonna drug you and be sneaky about it. I'm just gonna show you and see if you like it." Then she slammed her lips into his, roughly kissing him.

Natsu tried to cry out in shock, yet her tongue muted him. He had never been kissed like this before. Lisanna had kissed him a few times, just little pecks that seemed strange to him. Once, Cana grabbed him in a drunken moment and practically stuck her tongue down his throat. That had been just gross. This kiss was similar, but the way Edo-Lucy twirled her tongue around his made Natsu heat up. He had no clue what to do, how to respond, and part of him wondered if he even _should_ respond.

Did he want to be kissed by Lucy Ashley? Why was she doing this? Lust...he knew what that was. He had felt his body react to girls sometimes, although he just took a cold shower whenever that happened. He really needed a cold shower right now!

One of her hands slid down and made a grab at his crotch. Natsu suddenly realized he was hard, and it shamed him. Panicking, Natsu tried to push her away, yet his hands pressed on her breasts.

"Yes, there," she moaned.

"Stop!" he yelled.

Edo-Lucy's lidded eyes gleamed at him. "Show me the dragon within, Natsu." She reached around, grabbed his hips, and thrust herself against him.

Ashley's pelvis rubbed him, heating his body up in a way only his flames could do. He felt her warmth augment his own, and her movements brushed the loose fabric of his pants around, caressing his hardening member. Her tongue had completely defeated his mouth. His lips trembled at the violence of her kisses and how her tongue thrust hard into him. When she lightly bit his lower lip, an unwanted cry of pain shivered out of him.

Natsu had felt himself this hard before, usually after erotic dreams. Years ago, he had a troubling case of dreaming about girls, many different types of girls, some he knew, most were strangers. After each dream, he would wake up with a strange white fluid on his stomach. It worried him, so he had mentioned the problem to the only adult he could freely talk to about embarrassing things: Gildarts. The older man blushed when he heard the innocent boy state his problem, then he took Natsu on a long fishing trip. There, where they could be alone with only baby Happy napping in the shade, Gildarts gave Natsu a serious talk, explaining that it was part of becoming an adult, nothing to worry about, and what to do to "work it off."

That was "lust." He knew the emotion, he felt it sometimes, usually in horrible situations where the erection just embarrassed him. Now too, Natsu felt ashamed. Surely, Edo-Lucy could also feel how hard he had become. The way she pressed more against him and rubbed right in that spot, she definitely must be feeling it. Worst of all, he saw in her face and smelled on her body that she was just as aroused.

Did she actually want to mate? Was that what she meant? Edo-Wendy had tried to drug him to arouse him like this. Did that mean she wanted to mate, too? He was confused. Edo-Lucy's changing smell was making him heat up and get dizzy, but in a much more potent way than the aphrodisiac oil had done.

He hissed as his body felt a throb of pleasure pulse through his nerves. Desires were bubbling up, and it terrified him.

"No, stop," he gasped as lust and fear blended together.

"You feel huge, Natsu," she moaned. "Damn, I want you in me!"

In her? Natsu's eyes widened in shock. Then that meant she _did_ want to mate! He was petrified with confusion. He needed to stop her, but his body was telling him that it wanted more. Brain and body were at odds, and Natsu did not know how to react. In the midst of this confusion, Lucy reached down and grasped his shaft through his clothes.

"Stop!" His voice cracked, his whole body panicked, and finally he shoved her hard enough to push her to the ground.

Edo-Lucy fell hard and flipped her hair out of her face with an angry look of sexual frustration. Natsu gasped for air and wiped saliva away from his mouth. His head rang with rushing blood, and his knees shook from the emotional tsunami. Ashley licked her lips hungrily at seeing the terrified expression in his face.

"I see," she purred. "It seems the Salamander has a timid side to him after all."

"Don't ever do that again," he yelled.

"Can't promise that. Besides," and she gazed down at his crotch, "I think you liked it." She rose to her feet and sauntered up in front of him. "Or could it be you and your Lucy have a thing going on? Does she kiss you like that? Do you two sneak off to the storage rooms behind the guild for a quick romp on the rice sacks?"

"N-No," he muttered and blushed a little. "I...I don't do that sort of thing. Not with anyone. I swear!"

"How adorable!" she moaned, and a single finger trace over the flushed circles on his cheeks. "Really, you're way cuter than Fireball was when he got scared. With my Natsu, you simply had to take him out from behind his wheel and he turned all cute. You're more of a challenge, and I _love_ challenges." She leaned forward with a dangerously seductive smirk. "I look forward to seeing what sort of situations make _you_ turn all cute! I think today's experiment is quite a success." Then she spun around and walked away. She paused by the wood pile, flicked a lighter, and set the bramble ablaze. "A snack. We don't know why the ground reacted to your magic and shook like that, but maybe eating some flame will help to replenish the magic you used up." Without looking back at him, she headed to the guild building. "Oh, and if you want to work off _that thing_ , go out into the woods. Don't jerk off in the guild bathroom. Thanks." She gave a light wave, then kept walking until she reentered the tree building.

Natsu gulped hard and thought to himself, " _Come on, Earthland. You guys better hurry and get me out of this place! I...I don't know how long I can keep those two away from me._ "

**End of Chapter 11**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Figuring out how Wendy would fight was much harder than I imagined. The idea of using invisible thin threads to make the appearance of floating in the air came from the manga "Claymore," and she uses a style of pressure point fighting based upon Dim Mak. A strike like that, if done properly, could kill a person. I picked the name "Gildarts Nash" because Earthland Gildarts' surname Clive means "cliff," and so does the name "Nash." I have a thing for name meanings._


	12. Fireball's Ingenuity

Two days later, much later than she had hoped, Lucy returned to Magnolia and trudged wearily back to her house on Strawberry Street.

"Leopard-print boots my ass!" she grumbled in simmering anger. She unlocked the door and entered. "I'm home," she called out, smiling to herself as she wanted to hear someone respond "Welcome home" like a happy couple.

Instead, there was silence and a ticking clock.

"Fireball?" she called out worriedly. She looked at the time: ten o'clock in the morning. "He can't be asleep at this hour." She saw the shikibuton folded with the blankets placed neatly on top, just like how he left it every morning. Suddenly, Lucy had a suspicious feeling. "Did he take my bed? Well, I didn't say he couldn't, but..."

Her bed was crisp, blankets tucked up tightly, everything precisely how she left it. She realized that perhaps she should have let him have a real bed, at least for the two nights she was gone. She felt a small bit of shame that she had not thought about that, ignoring her duties as a hostess and treating her guest with honor. Instead, she had shoved Fireball to a mattress on the floor. Although shikibutons were touted as being good for the posture, surely it was not the most comfortable place to sleep. She decided she would not blame him for wanting a soft, raised bed, and maybe she should even offer to take the shikibuton for herself, at least for a day or two.

"So where is he?" Another thought came to her. "Did he decide to stay with Lisanna?" That thought troubled her heart, but she tried to shove the pang aside. "It's fine. After all, I told him to call her if he needed anything. Maybe we ran out of food, so he's staying with them."

Lucy decided to get settled in, unload her supplies, and then head to the guild. Someone there might know where Natsu Dragion went. She unpacked her dirty clothes, including those cursed leopard-print boots that had given her perverted client a hoot. She wished Natsu Dragneel was there so he could burn those shoes. Then Lucy took out the bag of money she received for her mission. It was not much, but it would pay for food that month. She checked her kitchen and made a list of things to buy. She decided to make a shopping trip first before going to the guild.

"I might as well let him have as much time with Lisanna as possible. They are friends, after all."

The back of her throat still felt bitter, but she swallowed down those feelings. They were useless, anyway. Fireball would probably be leaving in a few days.

She had just put her shoes back on when she heard a loud crash outside. Worried, she rushed out and around the corner of the building. In the back was a small area of grass and flowers that usually got ignored, although the landlady kept it mowed and tended. Now, the grass was cluttered with scrap metal, and someone had brought a work bench back there. A person with a soldering mask hunched over some metal slabs he was connecting with the blast of a blue-flamed soldering torch. Lucy paused to watch the person at work, melting the steel to connect joints to some sort of metal box. At her approach, the flame went off, the mask was shoved up, and she saw Edo-Natsu grinning with a sweaty face.

"Princess! Look what I'm making," he cried out like an excited child showing off a toy he built all by himself.

Lucy approached with apprehension. She looked at the pieces of twisted metal, a seat that had been ripped out and placed to the side, a steering wheel leaning against a flowering bush, and in the middle of the metal mayhem was a chassis with four wheels.

"A...car?" she asked in a mix of shock and worry.

"After I...uh... _borrowed_ that prototype vehicle," he said awkwardly, yet he moved past that shameful incident, "driving it got me thinking. Earthland cars are a lot like my four-wheeler, but they run on a wizard's magic. However, you guys have lacrima crystals, just like we did. I was looking around town, and I realized that non-wizards can use items with lacrima. They don't need magic within themselves. It's precisely how Edolas did things. So all you need to do is build the car in a way that uses liquefied lacrima rather than an SE-Plug." He held up the box he was soldering. "It's a magic-to-energy converter. This is precisely what my car back home has, although I had to build it from scratch. Isn't it great, though?" he cried out cheerfully. "If this works, I could drive a car here."

"Wait, wait," Lucy cried out. "Where the hell did all this come from? How did you buy these things?" She suddenly remembered him mentioning that Igneel taught him about hot-wiring automobiles. "Don't tell me you stole a car!"

"Stole? N-no! I...well..." Now the timid side to him reemerged. "You left me food money. I didn't really need it. Lisanna was making me dinner, we had enough stuff for breakfast, and I managed somehow for lunch. Soup kitchens, mostly, but sometimes people gave me their leftovers at the guild. So I...um...took the food money and bought a junker."

"You bought a car?" she screamed.

"It was a really good deal," he insisted in a panic. "Only five thousand Jewels because it was missing an SE-Plug, wouldn't run, pretty much useless. But see, I didn't need an SE-Plug. I can't even use it. I got the parts for the converter from a junk yard for under a thousand, and I'm borrowing the soldering iron from your landlady. I...I'm sorry," he wept, covering his head as he cowered down. "I shouldn't have done it. It was your money, but...but it would have just gone to food, right?" he reasoned, glancing up at her with every bit of courage he could muster. "I don't need to eat, but...a four-wheeler!" His face lit up, and all timidity vanished in the bright light that shined through his eyes. "This is my life, Lucy! If this works...if it works," he said in dreamy euphoria, "I could drive again. I could sit behind the wheel, feel the road under me, the sense of freedom, being in control, being _alive!_ I'd have transportation, and with a world filled with magic, I wouldn't have to worry about lacrima as much as I did back in Edolas. I could drive for as long as I want. You...you have no idea what this means to me, Princess. You have...no idea." He suddenly choked up with emotions as tears built up in the corners of his eyes.

Seeing him so excited and passionate about this project calmed Lucy's anger that he had used the last of her funds for some pieces of junk. She walked around the work bench, looking at the piping he had built, checking out the progress he made, while turning her back to him so Edo-Natsu could wipe aside the tears without being shamed.

"You made all of this?" she asked in surprise. "In two days?"

"It was a pastime of mine as a kid," he shrugged, drying his face with a work rag. "My dad taught me how to rebuild an engine when I was only seven. Since we were a dark guild, I couldn't just bring my four-wheeler into a garage and have a mechanic fix it, so I learned how to do my own repairs. Since this car needs a fuel tank and fuel line, which Earthland cars don't have, I had to build that. Then I realized that the standard SE-Plug line isn't big enough to allow the amount of lacrima fuel needed to keep the engine going, so I have to customize the engine I've got. The current fuel injection won't work at all with liquid lacrima, so I'm redesigning that, and it's best to have a lacrima filter, which I'm still trying to figure out how to make that with Earthland parts. Then, to fit all of that into the car, I had to strip the whole engine compartment to make room for the tank, line, converter, and new parts."

"You're building it from the ground up," she realized in awe.

"Well, I kinda have to," Edo-Natsu shrugged. "With the fuel tank and new engine parts, the entire engine compartment has to be redesigned. If this works, it's precisely how vehicles in Edolas run, using liquefied lacrima as fuel and converting that into energy for the engine. This way, anyone can drive, so long as they can afford liquid lacrima. I went to a store to buy some, but I decided to wait until I actually finish the car. That stuff is sort of expensive, you know."

"Fireball, this..." Lucy looked at the chassis, the engine, the pipes, the tank, and the converter box. "This is crazy! It's brilliant! I don't think anyone has ever thought about making a car like this. Transportation would no longer be for wizards only. Anyone could own a car. Imagine, a world where any person can travel anywhere they want. This could revolutionize transportation in Earthland."

He grinned at her happiness, relieved she was not angry anymore, but then Edo-Natsu's face faltered in sadness. "That's...that's great for Earthland," he muttered, "but Edolas is still stuck. There are scientists looking into ways to use combustible oil as a form of energy, but that's also a limited resource. Once all the oil is used up..." His face looked immensely troubled.

"Why use something so limited?" Lucy asked.

"We use what works. Sometimes it's just a quick fix, a temporary substitute to mimic what we used to be able to do with magic."

"And this combustible oil is going to run out so fast?"

"No, they say it'll last us for centuries, but what if they're wrong? What if we all get our hopes up and the oil vanishes, too? What if it's super expensive, like magic was? We'd have wars over oil, just like we had wars over lacrima. That's why King Jellal isn't giving any funding to research oil-based engines." Tears began to pool in his eyes. "Princess, you have no idea what a world without transportation is like. Especially...especially for me," he whispered, and she saw him shiver. "That's why I want to build this. I want to feel secure again. I want to drive, to be free...even if only for a short time."

"Fireball," she sighed. Lucy wrapped him into a hug to reassure him. "I wish there was something Earthland could do. I feel a bit guilty that all of your magic was sucked away to this world."

"We were the ones hurting you," he muttered, blushing as he nuzzled into her hug and felt the softness of her breasts against his chest. Lucy Ashley had crushed him into hugs many times, but the leather she wore made her breasts feel stiff. Lucy's clothes were soft and smelled good. He tried to ignore those buoyant mounds and focus on the conversation. "All of your friends were turned into lacrima crystals. Now I wonder, when we used magic, when we liquefied it to make fuel, when I filled my tank with it and sped off without thinking of anything but the freedom of the road...what...what if...those were Earthland people?"

Lucy drew back in horror. While in Edolas, she had also used items that required lacrima crystals. She never thought to put it together. Edolas had been using Anima to siphon magic from Earthland for years, turning all magical things, including people, into crystal.

"We were killing Earthland people," Edo-Natsu whispered. "When I think of that, it makes me so...so...angry!" For once, the timid boy showed a spark of aggression. It lasted only a couple seconds before slipping away into sadness. "It was King Jellal's decision to siphon all magic away so we'd stop hurting you guys. It returned all the Earthland people, including your friends, and who knows how many others. We don't deserve any pity from Earthland. We...we deserve to be punished."

"Oh Fireball," she said softly, patting his arm in a comforting gesture. "None of you knew. You're not at fault. Only those who knew about Anima and Earthland can be held accountable."

"It still sickens me," he muttered.

When he glanced up, he saw sadness in Lucy's eyes. It was an expression he never thought he would see in that face: pity, sympathy, concern, emotions that Lucy Ashley never showed to anyone. Or if she did, she punched them in the face afterward so they would forget what they saw.

"Please, Princess, don't worry about it," he smiled, feeling like he was the one who had to reassure her. It was an awkward and slightly disturbing feeling for the timid boy, but it reinforced in his mind that this Lucy was definitely not the one he knew back home. "I want to have some fun while I'm here. You know," he said lightly, turning back to the machine, "I wasn't just a great driver back home; I was a pretty good mechanic too since I had to fix my own four-wheeler most of the time."

Lucy saw some pride in his face. It was definitely a transformation from the trembling boy who landed into her life just a couple weeks earlier, and it made her whole body heat up with a tingling feeling of happiness mixed with pride.

"I was thinking," he muttered, "I don't know when I might be able to go home. If Fairy Tail is on the run, it could be months before Knightwalker catches up with them. I don't want to be nothing more than a freeloader. I could probably get a job here. It'd help out with food. I could be a mechanic like my grandfather."

"Your grandfather?"

"Ah!" he cried out with a jolt. Edo-Natsu suddenly realized that it was Porlyusica who told him about "the other Dragion" in Edolas who she had known, the husband of her sister, who was quite possibly Natsu's grandfather. It was not for certain, but Fireball had already grown to like the idea that his grandfather was also into cars.

Lucy replied, "It sounds like something you'd like to do. However, you shouldn't give up hope so quickly."

His head dropped. Lucy had not given up hope of getting her Natsu back, but already Fireball was wondering if he really wanted to return home. He deeply missed his guild, but he had made friends here also. Especially if this project worked, if he could make a car that he could drive...but only with liquid lacrima. He could only use the car in this world. It was a good reason for him to want to stay, and it troubled his sense of loyalty to his guild and his friends back home.

"I'll help you," Lucy decided. "I have no clue how a car engine even works, but maybe I can do something to assist. We'll build this car together, and then we'll take a ride somewhere." She loved to see his green eyes light up like a surprised child on Christmas. "Let me change into some work clothes."

"Gee, thanks, Princess!"

The huge smile on his face was more familiar, and it was comforting to Lucy. Seeing such happiness in Fireball's eyes made her blush a little, so she hurried into her house to hide away from the troubling emotions. First, she splashed some cold water on her flushed face, trying to calm herself. She dug into the very back of a dresser and pulled out some old clothes she used for painting and housecleaning. As she undressed, Lucy heard Edo-Natsu singing outside.

_Drive me down that sunset road,_   
_Down that road that leads to home._   
_Drive me fast, don't drive me slow._   
_Drive me where you wish to roam._

She pulled the threadbare shirt on and went to her window to gaze out as she fixed the buttons. Below in the garden, she saw the pink-haired man working hard. She had noticed before that his muscles were not as huge as Natsu's, but as she saw him pull off his shirt, bend over a huge metal pipe, and hoist it up, she realized that he was not some weak man either. Her fingers fumbled unheeded, missing the button, as she gazed at the sweat gleaming on his bare torso. Unconsciously, she licked her lips, and her eyes lingered on his bronzed skin.

"Learned how to rebuild an engine at the age of seven, huh?" she mused. "That's...impressive."

Edo-Natsu seemed to be finished with one stage of the repairs. He brought a hoist up to the engine, secured straps around the huge metal contraption, then cranked a handle to lift the engine block. As he did, the muscles in his arms flexed and pulled. His singing stopped from the strain of the work, until the massive engine was suspended in the air. Then Natsu arched out his back and wiped some sweat off his face. As he did, he glanced up at Lucy window and saw her watching him with her shirt only halfway buttoned.

Lucy pulled back with a soft gasp, moved away from the window, and flattened her back against the wall. Her heart thumped quickly and her throat felt dry. In belated embarrassment, she yanked her shirt completely closed and covered her breasts.

"It's only Fireball," she whispered to herself. "He's probably down there blushing like an idiot." That made her chuckle, but she heard nervousness in her laugh. "Dammit, Lucy, you need to stop this. He's not from this dimension."

She finished getting dressed and pulled her hair back tightly into what she hoped was a sassy ponytail to keep it out of the way. She walked out into the summer heat again. Natsu had leaned over the inside of the car, into the area where he was about to reconnect the engine block. She heard a hammer hitting metal, and she stared at his half-naked body folded over the rim of the engine compartment. She looked aside with a blush when she realized his pants had slipped down, and the crack of his butt was showing.

"Um...Fireball?"

He rose so suddenly, he slammed his head into the suspended engine. Edo-Natsu hissed at the pain and rubbed out the crack.

"Is there anything I can do?" she asked with a timid yet eager smile.

"Do? Y-yeah, yeah!" He looked around frantically. "Um, I never really worked with a partner, so...um...let's see. Oh!" He walked over to the seat that had been pulled out. "This is pretty trashed. I'm no good at upholstery work, so if you could fix the seats, that'd be a huge help."

"I have a sewing kit," she offered. "Hey, while I fetch that, can I get you something to drink? You look hot. I...I mean...y-you..." She stuttered as she blushed crimson. "You look...um...you're... How about this weather, huh?" She grinned overly wide with an awkward lilt to her voice. "It's been an exceptionally warm summer, wouldn't you say?"

Edo-Natsu stared at her silently with an eyebrow raised, wondering if she had gone insane. Slowly, a thought dawned on him, something so utterly unthinkable that it took a long time for his brain to process it.

Lucy thought he was...hot?

Her nervousness, the stutter in her words, that tense smile, all tattled on her inner feelings. Fireball wondered how he should respond... _if_ he should respond! He suddenly felt nervous and awkward again.

"I think...not that it matters what I think...but, well, um, y-you lo-...-ook...um...lo-...you... You know, lemonade is always good in hot weather, if we have any."

He wanted to smack himself for missing this opportunity to tell her that he thought she looked fantastic wearing those working clothes, with her hair pulled back and the beaten up plaid shirt tied in a knot just above her belly button. However, he honestly had no clue how to react to this new revelation.

Lucy felt excited to help. "Lemonade and a sewing kit, coming right up!" She practically ran away to vanish into her kitchen and mentally thrash herself for acting like such an idiot.

* * *

Evening arrived too quickly. Natsu showered the black grim off his body while Lucy put away her sewing project and bought some groceries. They cooked dinner together, moving around the kitchen in perfect unison, just like a couple who had known one another long enough to anticipate the other's actions.

At the small dining table, Lucy and Edo-Natsu ate their meal in silence. All day, as they worked together, she told him all about her mission, followed by him telling her about buying the car and his plans. Now, it seemed like there was nothing more for them to discuss, so the meal went by awkwardly. She kept glancing up at him, just brief peeks between bites. She could not look for too long or her mind wandered, remembering how those muscles under his shirt were taut, although not hulking. He was a thin boy, but definitely not the weakling she had assumed him to be.

Dinner ended quietly, Edo-Natsu cleaned up while Lucy sat at her desk to write, yet there was nothing coming to her pen. What she wanted to write about, she could not risk putting to paper where Fireball could read it. Every time she thought back to him hoisting the engine, her throat went tight and her palms began to sweat. It made holding her pen difficult.

"Are you okay?"

Lucy jolted at the sudden question. Edo-Natsu had finished cleaning the dishes and watched her now with his brows lowered in concern.

"You're unusually quiet, and you look like something is bothering you," he explained. "Your face keeps going distant, then blushes. Was it that pervert who hired you? You said he tried to grope you and wanted to kiss your boots."

"He just had a shoe fetish, that's all," she dismissed with a blithe wave. "I can take care of myself."

"Did he...do anything?" Fireball asked softly. "I mean, you don't have to say anything if it was traumatizing or if you feel ashamed, but sometimes talking about it..."

"Natsu," she said, interrupting him. Hearing his own name froze Fireball's thoughts completely. "He touched my leg a little, but when he tried to grope me, I whipped him. Sadly, I think he liked that," she grumbled.

Fireball's eyes still burned with anger. "I hate those types of guys, vile men who force themselves on women. I should have gone with you. Maybe he would've behaved if a man was there to protect you."

She scoffed softly. "I don't need a man to protect me. I'm not a fragile little girl; I'm a member of Fairy Tail."

He grinned with pride. "Yeah!" Then the smile faltered. "I...I wish I was part of your Fairy Tail."

"It doesn't matter which dimension you're from. Fairy Tail is always Fairy Tail."

"Except you aren't a dark guild," he mumbled. "You aren't on the run from the king. You aren't hated by the public. You aren't led by a sadistic dominatrix."

"Instead, we have Erza," she added faster than she could think. Thank goodness Erza was nowhere nearby! Still, Lucy pouted at hearing his dissatisfaction. Was he truly unhappy in his guild? "Do you want to leave Edolas' Fairy Tail?"

He paused, thinking it over. "I've considered it," he admitted. "I'm useless to them right now, just another mouth to feed. They don't want me to go, though. Each time I mention leaving, Gray begs me to stay, and that guy is so awesome, I just can't say no to him. Leaving my friends would be the hardest part. If I walked away and found myself all alone, I don't think I'd like it one bit. However, if I could...maybe transfer."

"Transfer?" she asked in confusion. She had never heard of wizards transferring from one guild to another. They either quit their old guild and joined another, they started their own guild, or like Gajeel, Juvia, and Wendy, they joined because their old guild was dissolved.

His hands twisted together nervously. "Like...like staying in Fairy Tail, but moving locations...to here."

Lucy wondered what he meant, then something dawned on her. "Do you want to stay in Earthland?" she exclaimed. He gave a tiny shrug in reply. "But Fireball, I'm sure your friends miss you."

"I'm useless to them," he mumbled. "Even when I try to fight, I end up in trouble and Lucy has to come save me. Then that makes me feel even weaker."

"That sounds familiar," Lucy mumbled. It was impossible to count how many times Natsu Dragneel had saved her life. Each time she had to rely on him or the others, it made her feel like a helpless weakling.

"I love my Fairy Tail, I really do," he insisted loyally. "My friends mean everything to me, but I want more in life than just sitting around, unable to help them, unable to do anything at all. I want to be useful. I want the freedom of the road, and I simply can't get that back home. If this car works, then I just know I'll never want to leave."

"And if it doesn't work?" Lucy asked, not doubting his mechanical genius, but simply curious.

His eyes dropped sadly. "Maybe I could still be useful here...to you." He glanced up only briefly before ducking his head down. "Or...or are you and Salamander sort of...together?"

Lucy felt her heart pounding hard, her blood thrumming through her ears, at just what he was asking. "No...n-no, we're not. I mean, he's my best friend, but together as in romantically...no, we never had something like that." She paused for a moment, then asked back, "What about you and Ashley?"

He laughed wryly at the very thought of it. "Not a chance! She's said many times, she'd never go for a weakling like me."

"But you're not weak," Lucy mumbled so quietly, Fireball hummed in question, not catching her words. "My Natsu also said something like that. Not that I was weak, but...well, during that fight when you arrived, just before the two of you switched, Natsu told the enemy something like 'Who'd want to go out with her?' Jerk," she grumbled.

"I would," Fireball said without thinking. Lucy looked up in shock, and a moment later he realized he had said his inner thoughts out loud. He leaped back in a panic attack. "Ack! I...I mean..." He began to tremble. "I didn't mean...well, I did mean...but I didn't..." He began to hyperventilate in terror, then shielded his head with his arms and bawled, "Don't hit me!" He leaped from his chair and ran away in a wild scramble to the bathroom.

"Fire-..." but she stopped when the bathroom door slammed shut.

Standing by the sink, Edo-Natsu stared at the reflection of his wide-eyed self. "Oh God, oh God, what did I just say? Did I really say something like that? I'm an idiot. She's going to hate me. She's going to kick me out. She'll never want to talk to me..."

"Fireball?" came a whisper at the door.

" _Kyaa!_ " he yelled, leaping away. "I'm sorry! I'll keep far away from you. I won't talk to you. I'll just sit in a corner and..."

"Will you shut up?" came an annoyed tone.

His throat clenched tightly. He knew it, he just _knew it!_ She was pissed.

"Look, I don't mind that you said something like that. Maybe...we could try it."

It took him a moment to moisten his lips and get his throat to work. "Try what?"

"Dating. I mean, I'm not asking you to be my boyfriend, but maybe we could try going out, just the two of us. It's the same thing we've been doing, but this time as a...a date. Look, this is really hard to say with the door closed and I can't see you."

Slowly, the bathroom door creaked open, and wide green eyes peeped out. Lucy tried to give the shy boy her most amiable smile.

"Do you want to try it?"

"Not like that," he muttered. That made Lucy pout. She had really hoped they could go out together and have some fun. "If we're gonna go out on dates, it should be done right. That's what Igneel taught me. You don't go out with a girl unless she's your girlfriend or wife. _Or mistress_ , he usually added, but I don't want a mistress."

Lucy smiled craftily. "Does that mean you want me to be your girlfriend?"

Still hiding behind the door, he pulled back until he could just barely see her. "M-...Ma-...Maybe?" he whispered in shivering confession.

"Then I accept," she giggled. "We'll go out on a date tomorrow, just out for ice cream or something, to test it. If it doesn't work out, we'll still be friends, and you can still stay here. I don't want anything awkward between us anymore. It's better if we say how we really feel, right?"

He opened the door a little more. "What will your friends think?"

She knew he had a point. Everyone in the guild figured that when Dragneel came back, Dragion would leave. Cana and Levy had been warning her about that inevitable end practically since Fireball first arrived. But what if he could stay? She missed Natsu, she wanted the pyromaniac back, but she was not ready to face the possibility of giving up this Natsu as well.

"We can keep it a secret for a while," she decided. "Just until we know for ourselves if this is something we want. A trial period. When you finish rebuilding that car, we'll take a drive, a proper date, and we'll decide then."

He supposed it was a good compromise. _Speeding into a relationship is like steering toward a cliff_ , according to Igneel. Of course, his father usually added, _And marriage is driving off that cliff_. Edo-Natsu learned at a young age that his father's advice on women was not always the best.

Finally, he stepped out of the bathroom and stood in front of her. Edo-Natsu was not that much taller than Lucy, but still, when he stared down at her gentle face, Lucy felt tiny under such intense eyes. She knew this face so well, yet the person behind the pink hair was completely different. Looks didn't matter! For Edo-Natsu as well, her face was one he feared, except when they had those eyes, so innocent and expressive. Her skin was flawless, her hair long and gorgeous, and her lips...inviting!

"Princess," he said in a low, slightly husky voice. "I...I'm going to kiss you. Please don't slap me."

She laughed at his warning. "I won't," she promised.

Then Edo-Natsu began to lean down into her face. Lucy tilted her chin up, and their lips met. It was a soft kiss, something they could barely feel, except for the hot breaths coming from their nostrils and tickling each other's face. They held still like that for a moment, like testing out a new car, just sitting in it, not touching anything. Then Fireball's hand stretched out and caressed her hair. His fingers glided through the golden strands, feeling the softness, enjoying the berry scent that wafted off her scalp. His fingers slid down her neck in a tickling caress, and his thumb traced the shell of her ear.

He pulled back, surprised a bit when their lips made a pop as they parted. He gulped, worried that maybe he had done it all wrong. Everything he knew about love and romance was what Gildarts Nash told him when he was younger. Of course, that flirtatious, womanizing romance novelist, famous throughout Fiore for his risqué stories like _Fifty Hues of Silver_ and the notorious _Hanny_ _Fill_ , was hardly the best person to teach a young boy about the ways of a woman's heart. Everything Gildarts Nash talked about was rosy and perfect: candlelit dinners, bathtubs with flower petals floating in the water, red satin sheets on a four-post bed, painting chocolate on a lover's body and then licking it off. Edo-Natsu knew he could never treat a woman so perfectly as Gildarts expounded, but he sure wanted to give it a try. Especially the chocolate. That sounded yummy!

"I'm surprised," Lucy smiled. "You must have kissed a lot of girls."

"Umm...no. A couple, maybe," he admitted sheepishly. "Why?"

She blushed brightly. "You...you kiss really well, like you know precisely what you're doing."

Edo-Natsu decided it was probably best not to tell her he read Gildarts' novel _The_ _Art of Kiss_ twenty times.

"Well," she said in embarrassment, "we should probably leave it at just that for today."

"I guess so," he reluctantly agreed, although his mouth craved more kisses.

"You'll be sleeping in my bed tonight."

His eyes went huge, and he squeaked a little as he found breathing to be an impossible task.

Lucy realized what she said a moment too late. Her face went from cutely pink to unhealthy scarlet-purple. "No, I...I mean...I'm taking the shikibuton, you're taking my bed. Oh wow, that sounded so wrong," she laughed, admitting to her slip so it would no longer be an issue.

"No, you're sleeping in your bed," he insisted.

She went from red to pale in the blink of an eye.

"I mean...you sleep in your bed and I'll stay on the mattress," he corrected.

"But you've been sleeping on it for weeks. It's only fair that you get a good bed."

"That's kind of you, and maybe earlier I would have appreciated it, but I can't take a warm bed away from my girlfriend."

They both froze when he said that.

"That...felt weird to say," he admitted.

"But it was nice to hear," she added coyly, then said sternly, "You're still taking the bed!"

"I won't..."

"That's an order," she insisted, stomping her foot.

"Eeeeek!" he squeaked, cringing back.

"Get to bed, now!"

"Yes, ma'am!" He scurried off, but paused at the curtain separating the bathroom hallway from the rest of the house. "Princess," he called back, and Edo-Natsu gave her a timid smile. "Thank you. You're always so sweet. I knew if I fell in love, I'd never want to go home. Now, all I want is to stay here with you."

She was touched by his tender words, but she had no idea what she could possibly say back to him. All the usual saccharine phrases lovers used, which filled the pages of trashy romance novels Erza enjoyed so much, seemed too bland. Although she was a writer, maybe if given a day to think about a scene like this, she could have come up with the perfect reply. Sadly, real life is never as perfect as a novel.

"Sweet dreams...Natsu."

His face lit up at hearing her call him by his real name. "Sleep well...Lucy."

They gazed at one another in the evening dimness, then some magic spell broke between the two. At the same time, both said: "That sounds weird!"

Lucy looked aside and laughed. "I half expect flames to shoot out your mouth."

Edo-Natsu also laughed. "And I want to run away in fear that you might put me into some torturous headlock. Still...it's nice to hear you call me that."

"Yeah, same here," she smiled happily, feeling like melting at just how sweetly he said her name.

He gazed at her, momentarily overwhelmed by everything that happened that day. First, showing her the car that he was resting all of his hopes and dreams upon. Now...boyfriend and girlfriend! A dream come true! Well, provisionally, at least. Still, he felt something stir within him, a desire to love her and protect her that began to burn away the barrier of bashfulness.

He tipped his head at her with a warm smile and deep emotions in his narrow eyes. "Good night, Princess."

That look, one she saw from Salamander plenty of times yet only from Fireball when he was on transportation, sent a shiver through Lucy's arms and down her spine to the base of her stomach, making it coil slightly. She gulped hard under that devilishly handsome gaze.

"Good night, Fireball."

He closed the curtain, and Lucy let out a sigh. She knew she would not be able to sleep tonight.

On the other side, Edo-Natsu leaned back with a long exhale. It was sweet of her to give him her bed, but it was a pointless gesture. His mind whirled like the smoking tires of a race car. Being in Lucy's bed, surrounded by Lucy's smell...how was he supposed to sleep in a situation like this?

Unknown to either of them, they said at the same time: "What have I gotten myself into?"

**End of Chapter 12**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _The chapter in which I show my love for cars. My father was a diesel mechanic for semi-trucks, my father-in-law is an automobile photographer, and my husband and I love attending classic car shows. I can tell you the year of a Chevy from the 1950s just by looking at the front grill._
> 
> _Yes, I borrowed from "Fifty Shades of Grey" and "Fanny Hill," two vastly different examples of erotic literature._


	13. Salamander's Gullibility

Natsu Dragneel sat on a cliff overlooking a sea of clouds. Behind him, Edolas' Fairy Tail was in the midst of a noisy party, having just escaped from the Fairy hunters again and landed in this place of mists and clouds. Living another day was a damn good reason to celebrate, so despite a shortage on food, there was music and wild dancing. At least that was the same about this guild: they partied with vigor. He did not think he could handle it if they were prim and proper. Edo-Cana's teetotaling and that annoyingly blunt schoolboy Edo-Romeo were bad enough.

He heard footsteps approaching and looked around to see Edo-Wendy creeping up. She gave him a sweet smile, then settled down beside him, close enough so their legs were touching.

"Hey, Salamander. Are you still feeling sick from the jump?" she asked.

"I'm better," he shrugged, staring off at the clouds. "It was just a bit rough."

"Sorry. I didn't have my web up."

"That's my fault," Natsu acknowledged. "Ashley pounded me because of it. Knightwalker got so close, I could see her red hair." His face looked uncharacteristically pensive. "She looks exactly like Erza Scarlet. I didn't think I could miss that scary woman, but I guess I miss all of them...even Gray," he reluctantly admitted with a soft grunt. "I wonder what everyone is up to back home. I hope Happy is okay."

"Your Exceed, huh?" Edo-Wendy said softly, smoothing the short skirt that showed off her shapely thighs. "Sometimes you talk about him like he's your best friend, sometimes like he's your own son."

Natsu wondered about that complex relationship. "Well, he is my best friend," he agreed, "and I raised him since he hatched from an egg. I guess...maybe he's like a son."

The blue-haired woman tittered softly. "That's sort of sweet. I imagine you'd make a wonderful father."

"Aww, it's nothing," he blushed, scratching the back of his head with embarrassment. "Happy's easy to care for. I'm just worried for him. We've never been apart for this long."

Edo-Wendy hummed as she examined him. "You miss your guild a lot, don't you?"

"Well, yeah! They're my family. I miss them. I'm getting used to the others in this guild, at least. Cana is really smart, although she likes to use big words I don't understand. Gray Surge isn't half bad, although he's annoying. Lucy Ashley is still scary."

"That's true," Edo-Wendy giggled.

"I don't mind being with you guys, but seeing Erza reminded me of how much I miss home." Natsu sighed and sank his chin onto propped fists, staring out as the setting sun changed the sea of clouds into many colors, from flaming red to royal purple. "I wonder if I'll ever get to see them again."

The blue-haired beauty wrapped an arm around him and rested her head on his shoulder. "Sure you will. You can't give up hope. It might take a while, but we won't stop searching for a way. In the meantime, you're happy here, right?" she asked hopefully.

"I guess," he muttered, ignoring that she was hugging him so intimately. "At least you're fun to hang around. Wendy back home is too young."

"But she's cute in a way, right?" the older Wendy prodded.

"Yeah, maybe. Way different from you, though."

"Oh?" she smirked, scooting closer. "Different how? Is she cuter?"

"Nah, just...different. She's like...kid-cute and you're...you're..." He glanced over, and although this was Natsu, he was still a healthy teen. This older, more mature woman had breasts that were impressive, and looking at them made Natsu feel strange inside, especially since she had those soft mounds pressed right up against his arm with her head resting on his shoulder. "You're...mature-cute."

Edo-Wendy giggled at that. "Mature-cute? I'm sure there's a better term for that."

"Maybe," he blushed, forcing his eyes away from that soft, squishy chest. "I'm no good with words."

Edo-Wendy sighed silently. She really wanted to hear him say she was beautiful, but she supposed Natsu in both dimensions was the type of boy who did not really understand his own emotions well enough to articulate them.

Natsu went on, "Wendy Marvell is just a kid. Since she's also a dragon slayer, she's more like a cute little sister." His answer displeased the flirtatious woman. "But with you, it's...different."

"Not like a little sister, I hope," she pouted.

"No, more like...I dunno..."

"Big sister?" she asked, hoping he did not agree to that. _Sister_ was not the sort of relationship she was after.

"Nah, just different. But a good different. You're the easiest person to talk to around here. At least with you, I don't expect you to act like my Wendy, because you don't look as little and sweet."

"I don't look sweet?" This flame-brain was started to really annoy her. Was he complimenting her or insulting her?

"Nah, it's more like...well..." His face crunched up as he tried to think of a way to say such a complicated thing. "Okay, way back when I was a kid, there was this lady in the guild. She was older, about how old we are now, but I was just a kid back then. I..." He tucked his head down into his scarf. "She...made me feel funny. I told Gildarts about it. He said it's called a _crush_. I didn't get what crushing things had to do with it, but I just knew she looked different from the others. She wasn't scary like Erza, or drunk all the time like Cana, or a foul-mouthed demon like Mira was back then, and she wasn't little and adorable like Lisanna. She was...older...mature...had eyes that made my stomach do flips. I know what a crush is now, but I didn't figure it out until long after she left the guild."

"A first crush, huh? Sounds cute."

"Nah, it was just a pain, distracted me from training," he said dismissively. "Still, something about you makes me remember her. You're...mature-cute...like she was."

Wendy wondered if that was Natsu's way of saying he was starting to form a crush on her. She sincerely hoped so. This boy was infuriatingly dense, but such a baffling personality only piqued her interest more.

Lightly, she pointed out, "Hey, you never really talk about your personal life back in Earthland. Did you...you know...have a girlfriend?"

"Nah, I wasn't interested in those things," he shrugged.

"Oh," she whispered, looking worried. "A...a boyfriend, then?"

"Huh? No!" he cried out, jolting slightly. "No, I...I mean...I like girls," he assured. "It's just...I..." He sighed and gave up with a pout and sputtering sigh. "I've always been awkward around girls. I never know what to say to them, how to act, or what they're thinking. Maybe because, growing up, it was just me and Igneel. Then in Fairy Tail, there were so many different types of girls. I either just thought of them the same as boys, like with Erza, or they made my tummy feel weird, like that older lady. Then there was Lisanna. I used to like her. Like, _really liked_ her. Some people teased us that we were boyfriend and girlfriend, but I never asked her, and she would only get dreamy about marrying me one day. We weren't actually dating or anything. Then we all thought she died. I didn't let myself fall in love after that."

"That's so sad, Natsu," Edo-Wendy frowned, tucking her purplish-blue hair back and leaning in a little more, wishing she could caress the grief out of his face. It looked so misplaced on this fiery man. "When she returned to you guys, didn't having her back get you interested in love again?"

"I dunno," he mumbled. "Not really, I guess. I just...wasn't interested. Maybe I blocked my heart for so long, I forgot how to think of girls in that way."

"That's too bad," she pouted, curling up so close to him, she was practically reclined in his lap. "My story isn't quite like that, but...do you want to hear it?"

"Sure," he shrugged. "You don't talk about yourself much."

"I like my privacy, but I like you, so I want you to know. My parents and sister were killed in a windstorm when I was just a toddler. I vaguely remember them. I was raised in a tribe in the far south of Edolas. They were anthro-spiders, a simple group of natives; I was a human they found in their webs after the storm. The tribe shaman, Robaul, decided to raise me rather than kill me. The tribe was my new family. However, anthro-spiders are hated amongst humans. A group of hunters came. I was still a child, but I tried to fight. Robaul asked me to guard the path while my tribe escaped. They left me there, knowing the hunters would not kill a human child. I thought I was doing it for the tribe, to save my brothers and sisters. The hunters kidnapped me, raised me, tried to _civilize_ me, and taught me to hate anthro-spiders like they did. They said the spiders left me to die while they scurried away because I was now big enough to hunt them. After a few years, I began to believe them. I didn't trust the idea of family, not when family abandons you to die. Then on my first hunt, we came across my old tribe. Instead of killing them, I turned on the hunters. I let my tribe go, but I ran away from them, fearing them, hating them, just as the hunters taught me to do. That's when I found Fairy Tail. I resisted this new family for a long time, but eventually I saw the same joy I had with my parents and with the anthro-spiders. I came to love Fairy Tail like I loved my tribe. Finally, I wrote back home and helped negotiate peace between the anthro-spider tribes and the groups of humans down south."

She looked over to Natsu with a gentle smile. "My point is, I thought I could never again think of someone as family, but I grew up and cast away those barriers around my heart. With time, I'm sure you'll learn to love again."

"I dunno," Natsu mumbled. "I wouldn't even know who to love."

She got a gleam in her eyes. "Is there no girl waiting back home for you?"

"Not really. None I know about, anyway."

"Is that so?" Edo-Wendy smirked privately, thinking up a new way to weave her web around this dense boy. "Hey, I know some magic that will unfreeze the coldest heart."

"You do?" Natsu asked in excitement.

Edo-Wendy licked her lips slightly. "Oh yes! Do you want to try it?"

"Yeah, of course!" he said eagerly.

"Okay, but you have to close your eyes."

A pink eyebrow shot up. "Huh? Why?"

"Silly," Edo-Wendy tittered. "Magic isn't supposed to exist here. I can't let anyone see it, and that includes you."

"Oh, okay," he nodded, and Natsu shut his eyes tightly.

"No peeking," she said playfully. Edo-Wendy rose onto her knees and gazed down at Natsu's waiting face. She gave her lips another small lick. "You're keeping them closed, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, just hurry up," he said squirming with impatience.

"My, so eager," she chuckled. Then she took his cheeks and held them up. "Now, don't move."

"Is this gonna be like Troia?" Natsu asked, keeping his eyes closed. "That's a spell Wendy Marvell uses to help with my motion sickness."

"Oh, I think you'll see it's much more pleasurable than anything Earthland has to offer," she purred, and slowly she leaned in to his face.

"Oh, is it like spider magic, since you were raised by those spider people?"

"Well, it does weave a web around a person," she smiled craftily. "Now, don't pull away," she ordered in a sultry whisper, loosening her lips and leaning in closer. She could feel his warm breath on her mouth, each exhale tickling her moist lips. She closed her eyes, ready for the kiss. "Just...relax..."

" _Wendy!_ "

The young woman jolted at the shout. Not far behind them, Lucy Ashley stood with a hand on her hip and a murderous glare in her eyes.

"You have patrol duty," Edo-Lucy told her sharply.

Edo-Wendy stiffened stubbornly. "My watch isn't until..."

"Now!" she barked.

Natsu opened his eyes and looked back to the blonde, then to the buxomly woman in front of him, confused by the stares from each of them. "Are you two gonna fight again?" he asked, purely curious, knowing that when two people challenged one another, others should not get involved. He was ready to step aside and let them duel.

Edo-Wendy finally gave in and pulled back until she was sitting on her heels. "Maybe another time, Natsu."

"No, wait!" he shouted. "What about the spider magic?"

She sighed and shook her head as she rose to her feet. "If you're as _thick-headed_ elsewhere as you are in the brain, this will be a wonderful challenge! Later." Then she ran off fast.

"Hey, wait! Wendy!" he hollered. Edo-Lucy walked up and flopped right where Wendy had been. "Bitch, why'd you interrupt her? She was going to cure me."

"No, she wasn't," the blonde said frigidly. "You're a really gullible kid, Salamander."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Natsu asked in confusion. "Are you saying Wendy doesn't know spider magic?"

"Of course she doesn't!" she shouted, and Edo-Lucy pounded him on the top of his head. "For one, the anthro-spiders have never used magic. Two, no one in this entire planet can work magic anymore. You were there that day, Natsu. You saw what King Jellal did, sucking all the planet's magic away. There is no magic at all in this stupid world." She tackled him down and pinned his arms.

"Hey, wait! What are you doing?" he yelled.

She punched him in the forehead. "Knocking some brains into that flame-filled head of yours. God, I really can't stand how much of an idiot you are. You're really a total..." _Punch!_ "...fucking..." _Slap!_ "...moron."

"Will you stop it?" he roared.

Natsu grabbed her hard. With a quick jerk, he flipped her and landed on top. Edo-Lucy's legs wrapped around him, crushing his ribcage. Natsu cried out, but in a fast move he had his arms around the back of her knees, folded her legs up to her chest, and pinned down her arms as well. The blonde thrashed violently under him, but he had her well secured.

"That hurts!" Natsu shouted.

Edo-Lucy gazed up at him in shock. Natsu stopped, seeing the timid look on her face for just a brief moment. He realized what this looked like, with her in such a revealing position, her legs spread and folded up, her body pinned under his greater weight and bigger muscles. Slowly, Lucy's face began to blush.

"S-Sorry," he muttered, and Natsu began to pull back.

"No, stay," she requested. "You...do you want me to do the same magic Wendy was about to try?"

Natsu looked amazed. "You know magic, too? But you said there was no magic."

"Magic to cure a frigid heart, right?" she smiled coyly. "I can do that much. Just release my arms and close your eyes."

He laughed and shut his lids. "What's with you guys and closing eyes?"

"The magic works better that way," she grinned. One hand slipped behind his head, pulling him down closer to her. The other caressed his cheek. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, yeah!" he said eagerly.

She leaned up and pressed her lips against his. Natsu held still for five whole seconds before realizing something was wrong. He opened his eyes, and it took him two more seconds to realize he was being kissed. He tried to draw back, but Edo-Lucy's hand caught into his hair and held him in place. He balked against her, but her legs wrapped around him again, forcing him to stay close to her body.

"Just enjoy it," she whispered between their lips.

Natsu tried to speak, but slowly he stopped fighting. Her taste was surprisingly sweet for such a caustic girl, and her smell was the same as Lucy Heartfilia, that smell he loved, the smell that relaxed him enough so that whenever he could not sleep, he knew he only needed her bed. Now her smell was everywhere, slowly growing stronger. Her fingers ran through his hair, making him hum. Then her other hand trailed down slowly over his cheek, back to his ear, around the shell, and down his neck. It scraped over the tender scar, sending a jolt of pleasure through Natsu's body.

"Lucy," he gasped.

She smiled at finding his weak point. "Natsu," she sighed.

He looked down at her, breathless, confused, but slowly instincts began to take control. His eyes narrowed with desire. This time, it was he who attacked, conquering her lips, pressing down on her body. As he felt his pants getting uncomfortably tight, his hips moved on their own, giving a slight thrust against her. Edo-Lucy moaned as she felt how aroused he was. She reached down to his hips to pull him in tightly again.

"Lucy," he warned, feeling foggy in the head, unable to think clearly. Some instinct deep within him was warning him that they were heading toward a cliff, and once he fell over the edge, he would not be able to stop tumbling downward.

"I hate how you make me feel so vulnerable, Natsu," she confessed between kisses. "I hate it...and I love it. I want to pound you to the ground...and I want you to pound me into a bed!"

His body was reacting on its own now. He slid his groin against her, feeling her heat through his clothes, inhaling as her scent changed, got stronger, so overwhelming it made him more dizzy than the day he and Happy painted their house. His stomach was coiling, and his head rang with warning bells that he ignored, lost in her taste, her smell, and the soft moans she made between their kissing lips. He had wanted to hear Lucy like this many times, and now...now she was...

_She's not here! This isn't my Lucy!_

Just as his mind was about to dive over that cliff and be completely lost, the internal warning alarm jolted him. He sharply pulled up, sat back on his heels, and wiped his mouth with his scarf. Lucy Ashley looked up in concern and saw the horrified look in his face.

"Natsu," she pleaded, arching her back slightly as her body craved his warm touches.

"I can't," he panted breathlessly.

"Because we're in the open? We'll get a room and..."

"No!" he shouted. Natsu swallowed hard as his heart felt like it might leap out of his throat. "I...I just can't. If I let myself fall in love while in Edolas, it's like I'm resigning myself to never making it back home."

"It could be just for now," she smiled, pleading with her eyes and caressing his chest to entice him back. "Just something for fun, let off some steam." Her hand slid down and stroked his erection again. "I can tell you want it."

He sternly pushed her hand away. "I don't do things like that _just for fun_. A dragon only takes one mate."

"You're not a dragon, Natsu. You're a man, and men need a little pleasure from time to time."

Still, the dragon slayer shook his head. "I'm not that sort of man, Ashley. I'll wait until I find the right girl, and that girl will be someone from Earthland, someone I can stay with for the rest of my life."

She flopped back against the dirt and sighed as her hormones crashed and burned. "Well that's just fucking inconvenient."

"I'm sorry," he whispered in genuine regret.

"No...no, I'm sorry," she grumbled as she sat up, straightened her short hair, and pulled her clothes back in order. "I wasn't thinking about _mates_ and lifelong commitment. I need a quick fuck, and you're really hot. I also didn't want Wendy to ensnare you. That girl is damn good at weaving her web of lust around men, but I can't let her get her fangs into you. You should watch out for her, too." She looked over him again, especially at the hardness straining his pants. "You sure you don't want something? It doesn't have to be sex. I could suck you off."

"Huh? Suck? What do you...? Oh, you mean..." Natsu felt like flames might shoot out his ears at the blunt offer. "N-no, that's okay. You don't have to."

"Ya sure? I don't mind. I'm pretty good at deep-throating, too."

"Shut up! No!" Natsu yelled, grimacing that her offer was more than just tempting; it was torturous to turn her down.

"Have it your way. Remember our rule. Work it off outside, not in the guild bathroom." She swung her arms to get up to her feet. "Well, guess I should head back. Damn, my panties are drenched!" She adjusted her thighs with a grimace.

Natsu watched her walk away. He had to confess, he was tempted to call her back. He nearly did, but something in the back of his mind stopped him. He looked back out at the sea of clouds, but the sun was gone now. The ache in his pants hurt. He could probably just rub it out, but he felt conflicted by so many things.

Mostly, why had he kissed Edo-Lucy back, and so passionately at that? As he sat there staring at the fading sunlight, he realized that for a moment, he had imagined her as Lucy Heartfilia. But what did that mean?

He frowned as he tried to sort it out in his head. Such deep emotions were not the sort of things he could deal with alone. In the past with Lisanna, he would go to Gildarts, they would go on a fishing trip together, and the older man would hear the mixed-up feelings from the young teenager with an understanding smile and occasional laugh. He always had advice, and Natsu trusted Gildarts' experience. Now, he was alone in this world with feelings that troubled him, just like back then, and no one to talk to who could help him to sort out this problem.

"Lucy," he whispered. "If Ashley fell for me because I'm the opposite to her Natsu, does that mean you'd fall for Dragion, since he's the opposite of me? But if I turned her down, would Fireball also turn you down, or would he react opposite to me? Would he...fall in love?"

Natsu frowned at thinking about it. It was not that he felt jealous. If Lucy was happy with another man, that was good. Still, he did not like the thought of how heartbroken Lucy would be if she really did fall in love, only to be separated from Fireball when he had to go home. It would be similar to how Natsu had to close off his heart after Lisanna apparently died.

He didn't want Lucy to be sad like that!

"Whatever you choose, I just hope you're happy, Lucy," he whispered. "If he makes you happy, maybe I can make you happy too, whenever I manage to get back home. However, if he breaks your heart, I'll kick his ass, whether he's _me_ or not!"

**End of Chapter 13**


	14. Anguish and Solace

The front door to Lucy's apartment slammed open, letting in moonlight as Lucy and Edo-Natsu entered laughing loudly.

Between gasping chuckles, she asked, "How … how did you ever manage to get tickets to that show?"

Fireball shrugged nonchalantly. "While you were gone on that mission, I entered a contest at the grocery store and won the drawing. I figured on surprising you. Did you like it?"

"Oh my gosh, I have never seen a comedy duo like that!" Lucy giggled, grabbing her side as her laughs began to hurt her stomach. "That was outrageous! I've heard of them, they're really famous in Crocus, the capitol city, but I didn't think they'd ever perform in a town like Magnolia."

He smiled as he watched her put away her purse and hang up a cute sweater she had worn that night. Treating a girl out was oddly satisfying. Edo-Natsu sat on the plush chair and yanked Lucy down to sit on his lap. She looked a little surprised, but she quickly snuggled up against him.

"I'm really glad you liked it," he said with heartfelt relief. "And dinner, was that okay?"

"I never turn down good curry." She adjusted her seat on his lap and leaned on his shoulder. "I'll be honest, this was the best date I've ever had. Not that I date around a lot," she assured him. "It was … perfect."

"Not perfect yet." He held her cheek and leaned in for a kiss.

Lucy's eyes widened at such boldness from the timid Fireball, but his lips were gentle on hers. Her eyelids sank as she felt her body grow heavy under the magic of his kiss. It did not last long, and when he pulled back, she saw bashfulness in his face.

"Now, it's a perfect date," he declared in a soft, deep voice.

She coyly tucked her head down with pink tinting her cheeks. "I … I hope I wasn't too boring tonight. I hardly talked."

"I could never get bored gazing at you," he replied.

Lucy blushed even brighter. "You … you didn't mind, even though it was just me?"

"Just you?" he laughed. "Did you see the jealous looks I was getting? Every man in that restaurant was envious that I had such a breathtaking lady with me. I even saw a couple of wives hit their husbands." He touched her cheek again, feeling the softness of her pale skin. "With beauty like yours, we could have sat in total silence for five hours, and I would still be overwhelmed with joy at the end of the night."

That made her titter softy, and her stomach coiled slightly. "How is it that you know all the perfect things to say?"

Edo-Natsu thanked the stars that Lucy Heartfilia had never read any of Gildarts Nash's romance novels. He had been directly quoting from those stories all night long.

After an awkward silence, during which her cheeks cooled off some, Lucy muttered, "So, what else would make this a perfect night?"

Edo-Natsu tried to think of what to say. How would Gildarts Nash have his dashing, hunky protagonist reply to that question? "Sometimes, a perfect night ends in splurging on all the ardor that life and love offers to us."

She raised her eyes up with a soft gasp, wondering if he was suggesting _that_.

"And sometimes," he smiled, patting her hand reassuringly, "it's best to save perfection for another day."

Gildarts would nod in approval on that one! He would have to remember it and tell the writer later. Of course, that meant going back home to Edolas. That prospect, after such a fun date with the most beautiful and sweetest girl he knew, soured the night a little. To push past it, he smiled even bigger and gave Lucy a kiss on the cheek.

"You can have the bath first. I'll make my bed."

She touched her cheek, which turned red quickly. Then she rose off his lap and excused herself to the bathroom.

Once she was gone, Edo-Natsu let out a long, pent-up sigh, and his head fell backward against the back of the cushioned chair. Throughout that whole night, he had been one step away from a full-blown anxiety attack. He somehow managed not to let his shaking fingers spill any wine during dinner. The comedy show had been a good distraction. Walking along the bay with Lucy was one long, agonizing torment of second-guesses, mentally screaming at himself every time it seemed like he missed an opportunity, or said the wrong thing, or did not speak when he should have, or as fast as he should have, or answering too promptly, or any number of mistakes. Now, the tension in his nerves could relax.

"I need a long drive," he moaned.

Instead, he stepped out the little side door, climbed down some fire escape stairs, and walked into the backyard. In the light of a full moon, he saw the car he had begun. It was still in pieces. He stepped over some metal framing to where the driver's seat would be. He crouched there within the metal framework to look through the slightly cracked windshield. He picked up the steering wheel from where it laid to the side and held it where he would one day attach it.

He closed his eyes, holding that wheel for many minutes as he tried to remember the feel of the road, the wildness such freedom gave him, the reckless feeling that always surged through him when he was on transportation, and how he felt so alive during those moments. He never second-guessed every single sentence he spoke. He never cared if he acted a little wild, a little rude, or even if he got perverted. He threw caution to the wind and let it flutter away as he sped on down the road.

_Drive me down that sunset road,  
Down that road that leads to home…_

He paused in his singing. "A road that leads to home, huh?" He looked down at the detached steering wheel, and his brow tensed in anguish. "I wonder if that's the road I should take."

"Fireball?" he heard Lucy shout inside the house. "I'm done. Where are you?"

He climbed out of the skeletal car and placed the wheel aside. However, his fingers lingered on that steering wheel that, with any luck, would one day give him freedom again.

"Where is _home_ , anyway?" he wondered, before jogging back up the stairs to Lucy.

* * *

Two days later, it was time for another call to Edolas. When Lucy woke up that morning, breakfast was already cooked. The dirty dishes in the sink showed that Edo-Natsu had already eaten, but he was not in the house. She instantly knew where he must have gone. Throughout those few days, he spent every free minute he had in the backyard, obsessed with finishing the car. It was almost done.

She walked back there and saw him standing in the early morning light, just staring at the vehicle that now at least looked like it was something meant to go on the road. He hugged his arms in the early morning chill, and as Lucy walked around to look at him, she saw that his brow was furrowed with anguish.

"It's almost done," he whispered. "I hate leaving something unfinished, and the car isn't quite ready. Two more days. Just two."

Lucy patted his arm. "Even if King Jellal has Natsu Dragneel with him, it might take time to figure out a way to switch you two back."

His brow creased even more. "I … I don't want to go back."

She felt so sorry for him, but she was also torn by this. "Fireball…"

He pulled away from her, and she saw in his face that she should not try to coddle him. "Head on to the guild. I'll meet you there. I just … I need some time alone. I need to think."

Lucy frowned as she watched him leave. She remembered when he first arrived, his timidity was so bad, it annoyed her and everyone else. Now, he was so different. The old Fireball would have never been able to brush her aside like that. He would never have dared to order her around. Back then, simply looking at him made him squeak in terror. That nervous habit was slowly getting better.

He had changed, and she wondered if he even realized it.

* * *

Edo-Natsu was surprised he knew Magnolia so well after only two weeks living there. Then again, as a driver, he had a natural instinct for the layout of roads. He navigated the streets with ease, using both street names and landmarks to guide him. Soon, he was on the outskirts, and he walked into the woods. This path was a little less familiar, since he had only traveled on it once, but soon he saw Porlyusica's house. He walked up and rapped on the door.

"Go away!"

"Great-aunt?" he called in.

The door swung open, and the ancient healer loomed over him. "You! How many times do I have to tell you, I don't know if we're related."

"I need to talk," he said softly, dropping his head.

Porlyusica eyed him closely. Gone was the shivering coward. The boy who stood before her now looked deeply troubled. Silently, she held open her door and motioned for him to enter. Edo-Natsu muttered "Pardon the intrusion" as he walked inside.

"You don't want to leave Earthland, do you?" she deduced, getting right to the point as she poured out a greenish-yellow tea with a bitter, herbal aroma.

"Right," he admitted, keeping his head down. "Today, we're supposed to contact Edolas again and see if King Jellal has Salamander in custody yet. If he does, everyone will want to exchange us right away, but … but…" He shrank down. "I'm not ready to leave."

"Why not?"

Bashfully, he whispered, "I've fallen in love."

The old lady jolted at such a candid confession, then her brow lowered. "Love, huh? I truly pity you." She placed two teacups down and groaned with age as she sat at the table with him. "When I wound up trapped in Earthland, it was Makarov who found me. I had no magic, but my skills in healing were unlike anything they had witnessed. With a few magical devices, I managed to join Fairy Tail and was the healer on Makarov's team. It was a way to make money so I could afford rent, nothing more. However, over time, I fell in love."

"With whom?" he asked, wide-eyed in amazement.

Her wrinkled cheeks blushed. "With the guild. The guild! Not that idiot, of course." Her red eyes lowered a bit with memories of a time very long ago. "Makarov was incredibly powerful even back then. He always worried about me, and he always came to my rescue since I was so weak. He figured I was homesick, and he took it upon himself to research everything he could about Edolas. Eventually, he figured out how to send me back home. By then … I couldn't leave. My heart belonged to Earthland and its people."

"That's how I'm starting to feel," Fireball muttered.

"Then if you ever want to return home, you better run to that guild and find a way to get back soon. Otherwise," she warned seriously, "your heart will never want to leave Earthland."

* * *

In the guild hall, Lucy was bubbly, telling everyone about the car Edo-Natsu was building. All she could talk about was him.

"Lu-chan," Levy sighed. "He might have to leave today."

Lucy blithely brushed the thought aside. "That's only a possibility."

The bluenette looked worried. "Don't you want Natsu back?"

"Well, yeah," she admitted meekly, "but you know, he's probably having just as much fun in Edolas as Fireball is having here. It'd be fine if it's for another few days."

Levy looked ready to protest, but Gray walked up just then.

"Yo, Lucy! Master says he's ready to put in the call. Where's the wheel-brain?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted, looking around the guild hall. "He said he'd meet me here. Oh, I _knew_ I shouldn't have let him go walking alone. He's probably lost." She pulled out a silver key. "Open the Gate of the Canis Minor! Nikora!" There was a puff of smoke, and Plue appeared. "Okay, Plue, we need to hunt down Natsu. Use that nose of yours and let's find him."

"Puu-puun," the white dog agreed, and Plue hurried out as fast as his wobbly legs would go.

An hour later, Makarov sighed. There was no sign of either Edo-Natsu or Lucy, and their appointed time was long past. "I guess we don't actually need Dragion here to make the call," he decided. "Levy, Freed, Laxus, start up the video lacrima."

The lacrima and runes flashed quickly, and soon there was the familiar face of King Jellal.

"Master Makarov, I was beginning to wonder if you could call again," the king of Edolas said with a bit of relief.

"My apologies, Mystogan," the Master said, tipping his head in humbleness. "We seem to have misplaced a little Fireball."

The king laughed gently. "Yes, we had issues as well. The Salamander has squirmed out of my grasp once more. Captain Knightwalker reported two days ago that she managed to track down Fairy Tail again. I sent a squadron to retrieve him. It will take them another two days to get there and four to return." The king dropped his head humbly. "I must ask that you give us another week."

"I see," Makarov frowned.

"I apologize profusely. I know how you must all be worried for your nakama. However, convincing Knightwalker that he must be taken in alive is … less than easy," he put delicately. "Then we need to set up a way to send Natsu back. My scientists are still working on it. It looks like using the wormhole to switch their bodies might be the only solution. Sadly, we may need Edolas' Levy to show us how to do that. Our own attempts at traveling via transporters have been … less than successful." The roll of his eyes showed that they had all ended in terrible—sometimes messy—disasters.

"We want to do this safely, not use Natsu as a guinea pig," Makarov insisted.

"Absolutely, which is why we need more time."

"To ensure he's safe, I will give you all the time you need, but realize that Natsu might get steadily weak if he's stupid enough to use his magic."

King Jellal looked confused. "Weak?" Then something dawned on him. "If the magic flows out of his body, no magic can flow back in, since Edolas doesn't have Eterano particles in the atmosphere like Earthland does. The Eterano in Natsu's body would have no way of replenishing itself."

"Wait, wait!" Gray called out. "We didn't have that problem when we were in Edolas."

"You were here only a few days," King Jellal reminded him. "Plus I gave you the X-Ball medicine, which allows you to tap into a reservoir of Eterano hidden within each wizard."

"Second Origin," Erza realized.

"It was the only way to allow an Earthland wizard to use the magic power within their own body while in an environment that had no Eterano particles."

Makarov nodded grimly. "Natsu might still be able to use magic thanks to the X-Ball's longterm effects. However, if he does to an excess over this many weeks, even the hidden Eterano within his Second Origin could be used up. If that happens…"

Mirajane gasped and covered her mouth. "Oh no! Natsu could die?"

"Hopefully, he'd be forced to stop before it got that bad, but he'd definitely be severely weakened from magic depletion."

King Jellal frowned. "Then the situation is more dire than we thought. Hopefully, Natsu realizes this could be a serious problem and does nothing foolish. Then again, this is Natsu Dragneel we're talking about. I sincerely hope, for his own sake, we'll have him by the end of the week."

"I hope so, too," Makarov muttered. "Take care, Mystogan."

The screen winked out, and Makarov gave a long sigh. "Of all the bad luck!" he mumbled. He waved to Mirajane, bringing her over. "If we have to wait another week, we may need to take stern measures with Lucy."

"Do you mean about her and Edo-Natsu?" she asked. "I saw them last night in a restaurant. It looked like they were on a date."

"Yes, and I saw them at a comedy show together, holding hands. If I had thought this might be an issue, I never would have made her his caretaker."

"If you ask him to live with someone else now, I don't think he'll comply."

"True, which is a problem. I really don't want to break her heart," the Master sighed, "but I know too well, Edolas' Fairy Tail is not going to let Natsu Dragion go so easily. Lucy needs to be ready to release him, and he either needs to be ready to let her go, or be prepared to go against an entire guild of nakama if he plans on staying here."

"I'll talk to her," Mirajane assured him. "Now, go take your medicine. Your blood pressure is rising."

Makarov left to the infirmary, and Mirajane began to think about how to deal with Lucy. She could possibly guilt Edo-Natsu into living with the Strauss family instead. Buying a new couch so he could sleep on it might seem extravagant, but she had been meaning to buy some furniture anyway. Then again, if Edo-Natsu and Lucy were in a relationship, changing where he slept might not be enough.

Did she dare try something as drastic as breaking them up, just when they got together?

Lucy and Edo-Natsu suddenly came through the door. "I found him!" she called out, but she saw that the lacrima was already being put away. "Oh, did we miss it?"

"I'm sorry!" Edo-Natsu wailed. "I was chatting with Porlyusica and I lost track of time."

Gray came up and thumped an arm around Fireball's thin shoulders, weighing them down. "Well, Wheel-brain, looks like you're stuck with us for another week. Personally, I'm rather relieved."

Edo-Natsu's eyes grew wide and shined in happiness. "You … you are, Gray?"

"Sure! Beats having that annoying fire-bastard around. You're way cooler than him."

"Gray!" Lucy scolded.

"You think he's cooler too, right?" the Ice-Make wizard reasoned. "I mean, I heard you two are dating."

"What?" she screamed.

Edo-Natsu looked ready to faint. "Everyone knows already? _Waaaaaah!_ " He pulled away from Gray with his arms over his head. "Don't hurt me, I only kissed her, I didn't do anything bad, I swear, don't hurt meeeeee!" He suddenly ran out of the guild in terror.

Gray blinked in surprise. "Well, he left in a hurry. I was gonna buy him a drink in celebration."

Lucy's eyes narrowed. "If a rumor like that is already all over the guild, that only means … Miraaaaa!" she growled.

The white-haired bartender grinned happily. "Can I fix you anything, Lucy?"

She stomped over to the bar, letting her heeled boots clomp loudly. "Don't pretend to be an innocent little angel, you demon in disguise! You gossiped all over about me and Fireball, didn't you?" Lucy pointed an accusing finger. "Confess!"

"I did no such thing. I just happened to talk about it with Master when he seemed worried about you and Edo-Natsu getting closer."

"What's wrong with that?" Lucy demanded.

Mirajane made a _tsk-tsk_ sound, waving her finger in reprove. "Living together with your boyfriend? Isn't that too much temptation for poor Edo-Natsu? Or…" She leaned in close with eager curiosity in her huge, blue eyes. "…are you two _that_ close already?"

Lucy felt her face turn three shades of pink. "N-No! No, of course not. We went on one date, that's all."

"One is all it takes for Cana."

"Well, I'm not like Cana," Lucy huffed. "He kissed me when we got home, then we went to bed. We've been spending most of our time working on his project car. He doesn't even kiss me in public or hold hands if we're walking around town. He's very much a gentleman."

Mirajane looked slightly disappointed that there were no juicy details. "Well, as your friend, I think living together when you're dating might be a bit too much. When he was just _that boy from Edolas_ , it was okay, but now … maybe he should come live with me, Elfman, and Lisanna."

Gray hiccuped into his beer mug. "He could live with me."

Mirajane sighed. "Gray, you're drunk."

"I'm celebratin', Mira." He cheered, "No flame-brain!"

"Okay, that's your last drink for the day. It's not even noon. And where are your clothes?" While Gray went around trying to find his pants, Mirajane leaned back in to Lucy. "I'm truly worried, Lucy. Edo-Natsu … he's not from this dimension. He has friends back in Edolas who want him back. If you're hanging out simply to have some fun, that's fine, but if you actually fall in love … what are you going to do when he has to go back home?"

"He doesn't _have_ to go home," Lucy insisted.

"Do you plan on tying him up?"

"No!" Lucy's cheeks blushed again as she thought about Edo-Natsu's scared face if she actually did try to tie him to a chair. "He can stay if he wants, right? Fireball told me already, he wants to stay in Earthland."

Gray, now with pants on but no shirt, raised his beer mug and cheered. "Hurray! No more flame-brain!"

"Natsu can come back, too," Lucy insisted.

"Oh, hell no," Gray insisted. "This world is crazy enough with one pink-haired idiot running around. Two might cause some sort of pan-dimensional cataclysm."

"Lucy," Mirajane sighed sadly. "Mystogan said it's likely that, in order for Natsu to come home, Edo-Natsu _has_ to go back. See, they have to switch places. That's how they changed to begin with."

"But … but it doesn't have to be that way," Lucy protested in horror. "I mean, there are … _other_ ways, right?" she asked desperately.

Without waiting for the sympathetically pouting Mirajane to answer, Lucy ran off to the infirmary. She meant only to hide away before she began to cry, but she found Master Makarov in there swallowing some pills.

"Ah, Lucy-chan," he smiled. "I hope our Edolas guest isn't giving you too much trouble."

"He can stay, right?" she blurted out, feeling her eyes beginning to sting.

Makarov pouted at the abrupt question and guessed that Mirajane's talk with her went badly.

"If he honestly wanted to stay in Earthland," Lucy clarified, "Fireball would be allowed to remain here, right?"

"Lucy-chan," he sighed, taking a seat on a medical bed. "I'll be honest. I don't know. There are magic spells to send a person to Edolas from Earthland. I could send Natsu Dragion back this very instant if he was that determined."

"But he wants to stay," she shouted, and a tear dripped down her cheek. "He said he loves it here and doesn't want to return to a world without magic."

"That's the problem," Makarov frowned. "Edolas has no magic. They have only their technology, which managed to switch the bodies of the two Natsus. If we want Salamander back, it might be that the only way for Edolas to return him is to do the precise same technique they did in the first place. That means switching places again. It's only a theory, but it makes sense."

"But … but he wants to _stay_ ," she sobbed, and her voice squeaked as she hiccuped some tears.

"So should we abandon Natsu?" he asked sternly. "I'll warn you right now, that's not an option for this guild. We don't abandon nakama."

"No," she agreed, looking away with guilt. "I want Natsu back, but…"

"But … you fell in love." He lowered his head and sighed. "Just like Porlyusica."

Lucy blinked in confusion. "Huh? What about her?"

"Nothing," he said quickly, blushing a little. "Look, if there is any way we can accommodate Dragion's wishes, of course we will try, but you need to prepare yourself for the possibility that he can't stay. Even if you love Dragion, and even if he doesn't want to leave, we might not be able to get Natsu back any other way."

"Maybes! Possibilities!" she argued vehemently as her sadness mutated into anger. "You admit, you don't really know."

"Lucy-chan…"

"He wants to stay," she shouted. "Why should we ignore that wish? Natsu is my nakama, but so is Fireball. You can't expect me to betray one to rescue the other. I … I can't do something like that!"

"Even if Salamander could die over there?" he asked harshly.

Lucy froze with the tears feeling hot as a chill shivered through her body. "What?" she asked in a quaver of dread.

"According to what Edo-Gajeel reported last time, Natsu can still use magic. Eventually, that magic power within him will run out. Edolas has no magic to refill his body. I've talked this over with Mavis, and she calculates that one of three things will happen. One, Natsu could simply tire out, and hopefully he'll revive just fine once he's back home. Two, as his body tries to suck Eterano out of the environment, with Edolas having nothing to give him, he could possibly wreck havoc on the environment. Being a Dragon Slayer, his ability to reabsorb magic particles is vastly greater than most wizards, so his spirit's _suction_ is greater. Earthquakes, wind storms, who knows what environmental changes might happen if his spirit begins to try collecting magic from a world that has nothing to give him! Or three … if he's over there for too long, or if he's forced to use a massive amount of magic, he could die."

Lucy shook her head in horror. "No … Natsu … he can't…"

The Dragon Slayer's face came to her mind. Not Fireball's, but those laughing eyes, the white scarf, his huge smile as he begged her to put away her story and go on a mission with him and Happy. Pain struck through her heart. The idea that Natsu might be suffering over in Edolas never occurred to her.

Now, she felt guilty for dismissing the idea of wanting him to hurry home.

"If there is no other choice," Makarov warned, "I would rather break your heart than lose Natsu forever."

"I understand," she whispered. "If it came to that, I wouldn't … Natsu … he's more important than … than…"

She suddenly gasped as grief overwhelmed her and sobs began to well up in her chest. Lucy ran off with tears and hid her face in her hands as she rushed through the guild hall, shoving aside anyone in her way. Makarov came out and watched her flee. He glanced over to Mirajane, who looked apologetic for ruining everything. The Master merely sighed and muttered about "teenage drama."

* * *

Lucy decided to take a long walk through the town, hugging onto Plue as she let her anger, grief, and guilt simmer. She did not want to return to her apartment and let Fireball see her with tears in her eyes. Besides, now she could not get Salamander's laugh out of her head.

Noon chimed from the cathedral, and she walked by some chic cafés along Magnolia's main avenue, Central Path. Amidst the whirlwind of cooking aromas and the distant music of a pub's piano player, she watched couples sitting at tables, enjoying sandwiches together, sharing drinks with happiness in their eyes. There were so many happy lovers, men looking proud that they had the most beautiful woman in the world, and ladies looking bashful at hearing whispered praises. It was hard to believe that yesterday, she had been one of those amorous couples, yet in a week she might be all alone again.

"Nothing but maybes and possibilities," she grumbled. "Maybe we can get Natsu back without switching him and Fireball. Maybe … Natsu will be perfectly fine until he returns. Maybe?"

"Puu-puun," Plue said in comfort.

She walked away from the crowds, continued up Central Path, and headed toward Kardia Cathedral. She sent Plue away before stepping through the massive doors. The ethereal music of a pipe organ instantly calmed her mind. Lucy walked into the nearly empty church, stepping as quietly as possible along a carpeted aisle where brides, pall bearers, and sinners had walked down for centuries. She took a seat in an empty pew and glanced around at the statues and stained glass windows. There were old ladies scattered about in the pews, praying for dead husbands, and a few others who seemed to take comfort in the resplendence of the cathedral.

Solemnly, Lucy bowed her head and whispered in hushed reverence. "It feels wrong to sit in here and wish for my own happiness when Natsu could be suffering," she confessed. "I suppose it's really horrible of me, having a part of me that's glad Natsu isn't back just because I want more time with Fireball. I want him back, really I do! I miss him so much at times. Even if he's annoying and destructive, it isn't the same without him. We're not going to give up on him, and I would rather sacrifice myself than have him die. Still, if what Master said is true, if Edolas can't send Natsu back without switching bodies with Fireball … if Natsu could get sick and die over there…" She looked up at the arched ceiling painted with serene frescoes. "I won't be greedy and wish that Fireball never leaves me. Instead, grant me the strength to let him go, if that's what I have to do. Until then, watch over Natsu. Don't let him do anything stupid. Well, not excessively stupid. I'm not asking for a miracle, after all."

Slowly, her eyes dropped back down. It was only a possibility, but Makarov was right. She had to be ready in case it came to that. She could pray that it would not turn out that way, that some alternative could be found to bring Natsu home safely without Fireball leaving, but she should be ready for the worst. Until then, she just had to pray that Natsu stayed safe.

A priest suddenly sat by her side. "Forgive my intrusion," he whispered, jolting Lucy out of her thoughts. "We don't get ones as young as you in here too often. Whatever troubles you, my child, it must be harrowing to guide you here for some solace."

Lucy felt ashamed talking about her love troubles to a priest, but it would be rude to run away now. "A … friend of mine. We … we recently began dating," she explained awkwardly. "I knew his time was short, but now … I just found out he only has a week. Then, most likely, he's leaving me forever."

The priest, of course, completely misunderstood the situation and assumed she meant her boyfriend had a terminal illness. "Loving him, despite knowing the risk to your own heart, is truly brave. There are not many who would take the chance."

"Maybe, but was it greedy of me?" she fretted.

He looked deeply sympathetic. "You are the one who will lose him. Giving him this chance at a fun and normal life in this world, before he goes on to the next world, is not greedy. It is immensely generous. While you can, enjoy your time with him. Give him such love that will not be forgotten, not even in the next world. Stay by his side, support him through this difficult time, and when it is time to let go, find solace in the knowledge that you eased his days in this world."

Lucy was amazed that this priest seemed to know so much more about the issue with Fireball without her even getting into the details. She felt calmness returning to her heart, and she wiped away a tear. Yes, she should stay by his side, get in as many memories as possible, live as if tomorrow would never come. Then, if he had to leave back to Edolas, at least she would have no regrets.

"Well then, I should get back to him. Thank you, father."

"May the blessings of the heavens be with you, my child," he said, then the priest moved aside.

Lucy left the sanctuary of the cathedral feeling at peace. She walked to her apartment and heard hammering in the back. Around the house, she came across a shirtless Fireball putting on the last touches to the car. He jolted at her approach, but then smiled happily to see her again.

"Princess! Look, look! It's practically finished." He leaned back into the car, continued to tighten a bolt, hammered down some metal plates, tightened again, then finally crawled out. "Sorry. I got inspired, fixed the problem with the brake line, and I just put the seats in. It's not painted, but that's not important. All we have to do is buy some lacrima fuel and we're ready to test drive her."

Lucy looked at the machine. Yes, the paint had been stripped off to grind down the rusted body, but it looked like a car. She had every bit of assurance that, with a mechanical genius like Edo-Natsu, it would also run like a car.

"You did it," she said in amazement. "You built a car in less than a week."

He smiled proudly. "Gray said I have one more week here. Well, hopefully I don't have to go back," he laughed lightly, "but still, if I do, then I don't want to spend all that time working on the car. I want to spend it having fun with Princess."

Lucy's heart lurched again. "Then do you also think you might have to go back?"

He looked confused. "Well, I mean … I dunno. I kinda don't want to, but…"

"Kinda?" she snapped.

He cowered down a little at the anger in her eyes. "No! I mean, sometimes I think I'd really miss everyone back home, and I still haven't found my father, and I really would like to see Igneel again, just once, but then that means I'd have to leave you, and I really don't want to do that either, so I get all confused and then I don't know what to do and … and … I'm sorry, don't hurt me!" he yelled, covering his head.

Lucy looked aside, letting the anger flow back out and calming her heart again. "I guess I'm not thinking about your feelings. I'm not thinking about anyone else but myself."

Edo-Natsu peeked out from his cowering position with huge, timid eyes. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"I was only thinking about how lonely I'd feel if you left. I wasn't considering about how lonely you might feel if you stayed."

He rose back up, walked over to her, and wrapped her into a hug. His nose nuzzled into her hair, and he whispered into her ear, "Lucy…"

She got a chill at hearing him say her name. He sounded so much like Natsu Dragneel when he talked gently like that. Having his naked torso pressed against her was also enough to make her blush.

"Come sit in the car with me," he requested. "I … I don't feel brave enough to talk about this out here."

He took her hand and led her to the car. He opened the passenger door for her, which made her blush at such chivalry. Then he walked around to the driver's side, took a deep breath to calm himself, and he sat in the driver's seat of his own car.

Edo-Natsu instantly felt the change within him. He had four walls around him and a wheel in front of him. Like this, he could let free his true inner self, no matter how blunt, wild, and sometimes crude it could be. The shackles of timidity fell away, and he felt his whole body relax. When he looked over to Lucy, she was more breathtaking than ever. Having her in this car, as his passenger, made him feel in control, like he could say anything to her, do anything, tell her all his inner desires, and be completely, utterly, wholeheartedly free.

Yet, before that, there was something else he had been meaning to do. He reached into her hair, yanked her head forward, and kissed her with all the passion that had been building up inside his timid self for days.

Lucy's eyes went wide. This was not at all like the gentle kisses he had given her already. She felt as if her lips might bruise from the fierceness. Those strong hands with nimble fingers that could fine-tune an engine, grip a steering wheel for hours, and navigate a car with finesse, held onto her with ardent firmness. She had often smiled to herself at how cute and fun Edo-Natsu could be. This was the first time she realized how much fiery passion he could also have if given the freedom to express himself.

His tongue crashed into her mouth like a car through a blockade. She moaned at his taste and swirled her tongue around his, like the spinning of a wheel axle. Kissing him in a car had the same thrill as when she road with him during that fateful race. It was fun, wild, and a little scary, all at once, making her heart pound faster.

"Fireball," she moaned.

He pulled back to gaze lustily at the softness of her face, the puffiness in her lips, and the hazily glazed passion in her lidded eyes.

"I don't want to leave you, Princess," he affirmed, letting his hand glide down her neck. "At the same time, if that really is how it'll turn out, then I'll accept it. I want to stay by your side, but I can't deny Earth-Natsu a chance to go home. Even if I have to leave, I won't forget you." He leaned in again and gave her another kiss, a gentle one this time, yet still filled with intense passion. "We'll have our memories, and until that day arrives, we'll have this car."

Lucy hummed happily, ready to melt into another kiss.

"We should go," he said, sitting back up and moving her shoulders so she would be in her own seat.

Lucy pouted at being pushed away. "Why? I like having you this way."

"Good." He looked truly relieved. "I'm glad it's not annoying you. However, if we keep sitting here, I'll want to get you into the backseat."

"So?" she smirked, trying to look seductive. "There's probably more room back there."

"The seats aren't bolted in, and they'll need to be good and tight, because what I want to do is get you back there, strip you naked, and rev your engine!" He chuckled when Lucy's face went bright red. "Besides, it's still daylight." His eyes glanced over her shoulder. "And your landlady is watching us through her window, giving me a look that would make me wet my pants if I wasn't safe in this car."

That made Lucy sit up stiffly, completely mortified now.

"How about this?" he suggested. "I'll finish putting in the seats and double-check all the hose connections. Tomorrow, we'll go out shopping, get some paint and car wax, really make this baby shine. Once the paint's dry, we buy some lacrima fuel, fill her up, and I'll take you on a cruise down the open road."

"Sounds like fun," she agreed.

"Before that…"

He grabbed into her hair again and crashed his lips against hers, then reached forward and groped her breast. Lucy struggled with embarrassment this time, now that she knew her landlady was watching them. Plus, the way his fingers seized her made her lower stomach coil and her thighs tense up.

Just as suddenly, he pulled away. "One for the road," Fireball grinned mischievously before leaping out of the car and running into the house before his anxiety kicked in.

**End of Chapter 14**


	15. The Spider and the Angel

Edo-Wendy had just begun to slip up to Natsu Dragneel, wrapping her hands around his arm, when the Dragon Slayer immediately pushed her away with an irritated glare.

"Not today, Wendy," he warned with a dark tone to his voice.

"I didn't say anything," she smiled sweetly.

He still kept away from her. "Ashley told me about you."

Wendy's face paled a little. Told him? What, exactly?

"That day on the cliff. She said you were trying to kiss me."

"Oh, that," she shrugged innocently.

Softly, he said, "You lied to me." That threatening whisper sent a shiver through her body. "You said it was magic. All you wanted to do was try to kiss me. You're as bad as Ashley. She uses force; you manipulate. Right now, I'm sick of both of you. Just leave me alone," he ordered quietly.

He walked away to the men's dorm, and Wendy remained rooted, stunned by the sudden rejection. No man had ever brushed her off so coldly before.

"Ouch, that's harsh," Macao commented.

Wendy could not speak. For some reason, having Natsu hate her made her eyes burn. She closed them and looked away, trying to steady her breathing, determined not to show weakness in front of the whole guild. Still, a deep sadness plunged her heart. She felt emotions spiraling out of control. It did not help that the whispers around the guild all seemed to be directed toward her.

"Someone who can turn down even her?"

"Breaking from her web takes a strong man."

"The Spider got stung by the fly this time."

Words like that were probably true, but they hurt. Natsu's rejection troubled her far worse than she dared to let anyone know. How could a man like that affect her so much? She knew she needed to talk to someone, but to whom could she speak freely?

Yes … _that person!_

She walked over to the bar and waited until Mira took notice. The white-haired lady walked up with a sunny smile and offered to fetch Wendy a drink.

"Mira … I need to speak to The Angel."

The Edolas guild went suddenly quiet, and all eyes turned to Edo-Wendy.

Mira set down the glass she was wiping and took off her apron. "Kinana, watch the bar for a moment." Then she waved for the buxomly woman to follow her into the back storerooms.

Once they were gone, the guild began to whisper all at once.

"Whoa, Wendy is going to see The Angel?"

"She's never done this before, has she?"

"Not that I can remember."

Romeo looked on with worry. "Wendy," he whispered sadly. He leaped up and ran to the men's dorm. Natsu was in there doing one-handed push-ups to work off his frustrations. "Natsu-nii, what did you say to Wendy-neechan?"

Natsu did not stop his exercise. "I told her to buzz off. You're probably too young to understand, but right now I don't want to talk to either her or Ashley."

"Wendy-nee … something is really wrong with her."

Now Natsu sat up. Even if he was angry, he was always concerned for his friends. "Wrong? Is she sick?"

"No, but she went to speak to The Angel."

"Angel?" he asked in confusion. "What's this about an angel? I haven't heard about any angels."

"Hardly anyone ever speaks to that person as The Angel. It's…" Romeo looked back out to the main room with worry on his young face. "It's confession of sins!"

* * *

Back in the storeroom, Mira went to the farthest corner. There were two doors. She motioned for Wendy to walk into one of the tiny rooms behind those doors.

"The Angel will be with you soon," she told the blue-haired woman, and then she walked away solemnly.

Wendy nervously entered the tiny room and sat on a padded bench. There were no lights in the boxy space, and only a thin wall separated this room from the one next to it, with a screened window connecting them. No one could see the person speak their confession. They could sneer, cry, make any face they wanted, and no one saw. Only one person heard their words: The Angel.

She uncomfortably shifted on her narrow seat. How many years had it been since she spoke to The Angel? It was embarrassing, but she knew she needed to get this troubling problem off her chest before the guilt ate at her soul.

The rasping movement of clothes shuffling in the next room jolted her out of her thoughts. There was the sounds of a soft sigh as someone sat. Then came the gentle voice that could bring solace to the most troubled heart.

"What is it, my child?"

Wendy shivered. How could that voice sound so different when spoken inside the confession box? "Forgive me, Angel, for I have sinned."

"Confess your sins, child. I shall hear them."

Tears instantly came to Wendy's eyes. "I … I have broken an oath."

"An oath? Tell me of this promise, child."

"Many years ago, a man betrayed my trust so severely, I swore that I would never let my heart fall in love again. Since that day, I've ensnared many men, but only as prey, as things to toy with rather than as people to care for. Now…" She trailed off. Although she knew The Angel never told a single person about what was spoken in confession, still, saying the words was difficult.

Instead of pressing her for more, The Angel turned the conversation to something easier. "This dates back to your time with the anthro-spiders, yes?"

"Yeah," Wendy said softly. "When I was taken in by the hunters, the son of the leader was … kind to me. We were the same age. I was only with them for a couple years, but I fell in love. He was … my first. We were young, but we spoke of marrying when we got older." She smiled sadly at that brief time of happiness amidst people who were her enemies. "On my first hunt, he was with us. He promised to help me, to protect me. However, that first tribe of anthro-spiders was _my_ tribe. I spoke to him privately, begged him to convince his father to pick another target. He pushed me away and said if I still had such close ties, then perhaps his father picked this target especially for me, and I should be honored."

Wendy sniffled, but she knew The Angel would only push her to speak more. Before she could face her current trouble, she had to face this demon of the past.

"I … killed all the hunters. I didn't want to. I had never killed a human before, but it was them or … or my tribe," she sobbed. "There was no reasoning with them! No matter how I begged, they … they wouldn't listen. They only hated! Still, I tried not to kill that boy. I thought, just as the hunters brought me in and made me think differently, so I could bring him to the tribe. If I could show him the kindness of the anthro-spiders, he would come to see the truth. I wrapped him in webbing and brought him along. I tried to reason with him, but it was no use. After a week, I had forgotten to renew the webs binding him, and he broke free. He killed two anthro-spiders and was about to kill Robaul. I didn't even have time to think. It was him, or the person I thought of as a father. I … I struck him down," she wept, shivering as she remembered the scene. "I held him as he bled to death, apologizing although he only cursed me, and I swore to him that I would never fall in love again, because love is treacherous. But now, I think I have. This damn Salamander," she gnashed, "ensnared my heart."

"Love is not such a bad thing," The Angel replied, "and oaths given in moments of emotional trauma should not be allowed to haunt us forever. If your heart has learned how to love again, then it shows you have matured past that pain."

"The problem is, the Spider has forgotten how to draw close to others. She has sat on her web for too long, capturing prey and feasting upon them only to discard them later, so that she doesn't know how to befriend the Dragonfly. Instead, she weaved her web once again, but the Blackbird told the Dragonfly about the web, and now he hates the Spider. I don't know how to win back that trust. I … I've forgotten how to make people fall in love with me. I've forgotten how to act. I think only about weaving the next web." Wendy's face fell into her hands. "I know he won't be around for long. He'll leave me some day, but I don't want him to go. I've even tried distracting Levy to slow down the process on fixing that confounded trans-dimensional machine. I want to wrap him up and keep him in my web, but the Dragonfly isn't like other stupid flies. He burns down my webs. He thwarts both me and the Blackbird who only wants to eat him up."

"Then perhaps both you and Lucy need to realize that Earth-Natsu is a free spirit. Ensnaring a soul like that will never work. Blocking his freedom will only lead him to feel greater anger at you."

"Then how do I make him fall in love with me?"

"My child, you can never _make_ anyone fall in love. There is no magic incantation for real love, not even in the magical world of Earthland. If you wish to be loved, open yourself up to love. Show him you are a trustworthy friend. Like roots of a tree, any further emotions must grow from that foundation."

Wendy slouched back in the confession box. "I may have destroyed those roots already."

"If Earth-Natsu is like our Natsu in even a tiny way, then he will never hold a grudge for long. I've known him only as long as you have, yet I see that he is the sort who can argue with a friend and still remain close. Let him have his space, and when the time comes, prove yourself trustworthy. Be ready to let him go free, but be open to embrace him if his feelings change. If they do not, then learn from this challenge. It could be he is but a stepping stone to a greater discovery about your own heart."

"So, should I leave him alone?" she asked uncertainly.

"Until his anger cools, it would be best to give him the space he wants. Think about his feelings, child. He is a lost soul trapped in Purgatory. He needs a guide in this world. Will you be the Spider that pulls him down into Hell, or the Sky Maiden who shows him the path to Heaven?"

"Sky Maiden," Wendy mused. "I was always called Wendy the Web-weaver or just The Spider before joining Fairy Tail. It was you people who gave me that nickname, Sky Maiden. I always thought it was a bit too lofty."

"It's the sort of name you live up to, like I must live up to the name Mira the Angel."

Wendy smiled quietly. Sky Maiden! Natsu Dragneel said that his little Wendy Marvell had that nickname as well. That was the side of her he would like best. Instead of crafting schemes on how to be seductive, she should just be herself … be the sort of woman he liked.

Even if that meant being away from him for a while.

"Thank you, Angel," she whispered.

Wendy left the confession box. She made her way out of the storeroom and back into the guild hall. Everyone was looking at her, making her feel self-conscious. She wondered if the tears from earlier were still on her face. Suddenly, to her utter shock, two strong hands grabbed her, and pink hair was right in her face.

"Wendy! Are you okay?" Natsu shouted in worry. "Romeo said something about an angel. There was a villain in my world called Angel. It wasn't her, right? Are you injured? Is anything wrong? Just tell me. I'll beat them up for you."

She blushed at his sudden closeness and looked away to keep the temptation at bay. The Angel's words were still in her head. She needed to let Natsu have his space, not weave her webs around him. "I'm fine. It's just Mira. She's something like a spiritual counselor, so we call her Mira the Angel."

"Mira? An angel?" Natsu suddenly let her go and laughed loudly. "Oh, I've gotta remember to tell the people back home about that one. In Earthland, Mira is known as the Demon. She also can't keep a secret, and she's always poking her nose into other people's business. Hey, I like the idea of this guild having an angel."

His grin was so wide, it made Wendy laugh despite the pain that had been in her heart just minutes ago.

"Oh Natsu," she chuckled, but then she sighed. "You can never stay mad, can you?"

"Huh? Well, I guess so, if someone is hurting my friends, but it's not fun to be mad at people. It's better to be happy with friends."

"I envy Earthland for having someone like you around. Now, excuse me." She began to walk away, realizing that if she stayed around him for too long, the desire to weave more webs of seduction around him would only grow stronger.

"Oh, hey," he called out. "Look, um … I'm sorry about earlier," he said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was really rude to you, and I guess that made you sad, and I hate making any friends feel sad. I dunno what came over me. I haven't been feeling too well."

"Like, as in feeling sick?" Wendy asked in worry.

"Nah, just … not myself." He shrugged, knowing that did not describe it at all. "Frustrated, weak, and I keep getting weird headaches. Cana said it's probably just stress from missing home and feeling anxious to go back."

"I see," she smiled gently. "I'm sorry if I'm adding to your stress, Natsu. I wasn't taking your feelings into consideration. Still friends?"

"Hah! You don't even need to ask that. Of course we are! We're nakama."

Wendy realized The Angel was right. Natsu could never hold a grudge, especially not against someone from Fairy Tail. She smiled sadly. If only she had met someone like Natsu Dragneel a few years ago, maybe she would not have grown into the cold spider-woman she was now.

If it was possible for the tiny nymph to molt into the gleaming dragonfly, was it perhaps also possible for the hideous spider to change into something more beautiful as well?

"Let's hope this is my rebirth," she said to herself as she stepped outside to inspect the webs that kept the guild defended.

**End of Chapter 15**


	16. Identical Insecurities

It took two days to paint the lacrima-fuel prototype car and put on the final touches. While Edo-Natsu hammered out the last few problems with the interior, Lucy went to the magic store to buy some liquid lacrima.

"What! It's how much?" she cried out to the shop owner.

He shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry, honored customer, but you're asking to buy forty liters of liquid lacrima. I've never seen anyone need so much. I charge a gratuity fee on anything over ten liters."

She showed him the pink mark on the back of her hand. "I'm a member of Fairy Tail. Don't I get a discount?"

"Miss, that _is_ with your guild member discount. The gratuity fee is specifically because of wizards like you. Regular citizens would never need more than a liter."

Lucy stroked her chin and considered it. Edo-Natsu said that for a proper test drive, the car should have no less than forty liters of fuel. Still, the 25% fee on the other thirty liters was ridiculous.

"Okay, give me ten liters," she sighed in defeat.

She paid, looking dejected the whole time. As soon as she was outside, her face changed to stubborn determination. She returned home and dropped the fuel off in her backyard. Edo-Natsu, shirtless with a tan beginning to form on his skin, leaned up out of the engine compartment and eyed the barrel.

"Um … sorry, but that's a ten-liter barrel. I need four of those."

"Yep," she smiled, "and you're going to buy another ten." She pulled her Spirit Keys out. "Open the Gate of the Lion! Leo! Open the Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"

The two poofed in front of her.

"Lucy, my love!" Loke cried out joyfully.

"I await punishment," Virgo said with a stiff bow.

Lucy handed each of them the money for the fuel. "Both of you will buy ten liters of liquid lacrima. Not at the same time! Loke, you can use your guild discount. Fireball…"

Loke glared possessively. "Why is that imposture still around?"

Lucy ignored him and told the pink-haired boy, "…I want you to try your hardest to pretend to be Natsu Dragneel, loud, rambunctious, demanding, that way the shop owner will give you the discount without asking to see your guild stamp. Virgo…"

Somehow, Virgo already had a tattoo gun out, gritting her teeth in preparation for the pain of giving herself a tattoo of the Fairy Tail symbol.

"Stop it!" Lucy cried out, yanking the tattoo gun out of her hand. "That wouldn't work, anyway. The stamp is magical. I calculated, and even without a guild discount, it's still cheaper than that lousy gratuity charge crap."

"Forgive me, Princess," Virgo said, "but if it's a guild member you need, Gemini would be better."

Lucy thought about it. "Oh, you're right! I'm used to Gemini only mimicking me, but they can copy someone like Gray, too. Okay, sorry Virgo. I'm not thinking well."

Virgo held up the tattoo gun. "I can give myself a bad tattoo as punishment."

Lucy sighed in frustration. "Please don't. I don't want people thinking you're a yakuza." She closed that gate and opened Gemini's. After explaining the situation to the Twins, they took on the shape of Erza.

"She's scary. That shop owner would never question her," Gemini reasoned.

Lucy absolutely agreed with them. "Okay, Fireball, you're up first. Put on a long-sleeved shirt so they don't see the missing guild mark. Remember, act like Salamander. Yell, demand, pretend like you're about to break something."

"I … I'll try my best, Princess," he whimpered before racing off into the house to get a shirt.

While Edo-Natsu was gone, Loke walked up to Lucy with a scowl on his face. "Why is _that guy_ still here?"

She looked up, surprised by the Lion's bitter tone. "The people in Edolas haven't found Natsu, so Edo-Natsu can't go home yet."

"Then someone else should have to babysit him," Loke grumbled. "I want Lucy to myself again."

"You _never_ had me to yourself," she glared.

"How do I know if this guy might see your panties in the laundry basket, or walk in on you while you're in the shower, or he might even get so bold as to kiss you while you're asleep. Although, that doesn't seem like him at all, still, he's a man and … and … Lucy?" he asked in worry as he saw her face turning red.

Lucy knew Loke flirted with her at every opportunity, and she brushed him off each time he tried. Still, having to tell this to someone who had feelings for her was difficult. "Well, you see, Loke … Fireball and I … we … we're sort of … dating now."

Edo-Natsu was about to step outside when he overheard them talking. He held back, listening cautiously, worried how this Celestial Spirit would react to the news about him and Lucy.

Loke's mouth dropped, and there was hurt in his shaded eyes. "You and him? But … but you've known him for only a few weeks! How can you just meet a guy and fall for him that fast, when I've been trying for years?"

"I don't know," she admitted sheepishly. "I just did."

"But Lucy, I love you!" Loke declared loudly. "I fight for you. I come for you even when you don't call for me…"

"That's usually really annoying," she muttered.

"How much more do I have to do to prove my love?" he shouted.

"Loke," Lucy sighed, rubbing out her head. "You also keep flirting around. I'm sorry, but I just don't like the playboy type."

"I'd be loyal to you. I'd give up flirting. I'd stop going out to bars where women hang out. I'd marry you and give you my oath of lifelong fidelity."

Edo-Natsu jolted at that. A marriage proposal? He felt a shiver through his body, and a need to punch someone with orange hair.

"Loke, don't say dramatic things."

"Who says I'm being dramatic? I'm being honest!"

"You're a good friend. I don't want to mess up our partnership."

"So do you think leaving me to my one-sided love will improve our trust?"

"Why are you acting like this when you go on dates all the time? I _finally_ get a boyfriend, and you're going all possessive on me."

"Because you're my master. Of course I'm possessive."

"Exactly! You're a Celestial Spirit."

"That's never held me back before."

"Why me, Loke? You used to love and lose girls every week. Why do you enjoy harassing me?"

"I'm not harassing. I'm loyal to the person I love."

"Why don't you…?"

Edo-Natsu drifted away from the back and forth shouts. If he walked out there now, they would know he had been eavesdropping. He decided to go out the front door instead. While there was still anger in his mind, he hurried to the magic store, hoping that the emotion would spur on his ability to act like a Dragon Slayer.

He slammed open the door to the shop and stomped in. "Old man! How many liters of liquid lacrima will you sell me?"

The shop owner looked up in surprise. "Another coming for that stuff? That blondie sent you, didn't she? Well, like I told her…"

"That _blondie_ is my goddamn girlfriend, so show some respect to your customers, bastard!" he shouted, clenching his fists to hide the fact that shouting like this, drawing attention to himself, and publicly declaring his love for Lucy, was utterly terrifying and making his fingers shake.

The poor shop owner took the shivering fists as signs of rage, and he hurried to get the ten-liter barrel without questioning more.

When Edo-Natsu finally returned to the house on Strawberry Street, Loke was sitting on one side of the garden, Lucy on the other, neither looking at one another. Edo-Natsu set the fuel barrel down, and at the sound of it, Loke shot a caustic glare that made the Edolas boy cringe in fear.

"Fine, he's back," Loke muttered peevishly. "I guess I'll go do what _my master_ commands."

"Loke," Lucy sighed, "stop acting so childishly."

As Loke walked past Edo-Natsu, he paused and leaned in close to the boy's face. Fireball tried to back away, but the gleam in Loke's catlike eyes glued his feet to the ground. In a harsh whisper, Loke warned, "If you make her cry, I will leave you barely alive enough so we can just use your flesh and bones to exchange you for Natsu. Understood?"

"I would never hurt Princess," he squeaked.

"You _better_ not!" Then Loke left the backyard.

Edo-Natsu watched him go, shivering as he remembered seeing Loke fight against the royal army in Edolas. A glowing punch like that would surely knock out a few teeth. Then he looked over to Lucy, worried by the sad expression on her face. He crept up softly, sat beside her, and took her hands.

"Princess?" he whispered.

Her eyes could not meet his, but he saw a pinkness around the lids. "Sorry. That's the first time Loke and I have ever had a fight since he became my Spirit. He's a playboy and a bit annoying, but he's still a really good friend. I hate fighting with friends."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. As she relaxed in his arms, he gently rubbed up and down her back. "I'm sorry. It's my fault. I stole you away from him. Of course he'd be upset."

"Natsu," she sighed, curling into him.

He felt a jolt of happiness at hearing her use his real name. "It's okay, Lucy," he said tenderly, caressing her hair. "I'm really glad you like me enough to let me be your boyfriend. Even if there are some people who won't like it, I'll be here for you." He tipped her chin up and smiled down into that sad face. "I want to always be with you." Then he leaned over and gave her a kiss.

Lucy hummed in bliss. His kisses were so gentle and sweet … outside of the car. She still remembered how he had kissed her while sitting inside the vehicle. Just the memory tinted her cheeks pink

Edo-Natsu pulled back up and felt relieved that her eyes were shining again. "As soon as we get the fuel, let's go for a ride," he declared.

Lucy blushed more. If they went riding, would that wild side come out again? When he kissed her gently like this, it made her feel light as a feather. When his lips had crashed onto hers in the car, it made her blood boil and her insides twist up. She liked both sensations, and she loved that this was the only man who could treat her in two totally different ways.

Gemini, disguised as Erza, watched from the side. The Twins had kept quiet all through the argument with Loke, as well as now with the touching scene between the new couple. Finally, Gemini walked up and touched Edo-Natsu's shoulder. He jumped at the armored hand and looked around just in time to see Gemini transform into a copy of himself.

Gemini recited with a glint of amusement, "Natsu Dragion: born in Edolas, son of Igneel Dragion. Began driving at the age of eight, abandoned by his father at the age of ten, joined the Fairy Tail dark guild a few months later, became their driver at the age of fifteen. Natsu's opinion of Lucy: strong but gentle, kind to friends, a little scary because she can use powerful magic, beautiful like a goddess, damn good kisser."

"Hey!" Fireball shouted, turning bright red. "Wh-what are you doing? How do you know all that?"

Lucy giggled. _Damn good kisser, huh?_ She explained, "The Gemini twins assume all aspects of the person being imitated, including memory and magical abilities. They could probably drive a car right now."

"Conflicted, though," Gemini went on. "A tempestuous mind filled with many doubts. Wants to stay, but wants to leave. Misses home, but thinks of Earthland as a new home. Misses friends, but doesn't want to lose Lucy. Misses his own Lucy, and troubled when my master reminds him of that other woman. Fears Lucy only likes him because she's in love with Natsu Dragneel."

"No!" Lucy yelled, and she looked over to Fireball in shock. "Do you really think that?"

Edo-Natsu glared at Gemini. "It's not nice to peek into people's heads." Then he stormed off into the house in embarrassment and slammed the door behind him.

"Gemini!" Lucy shouted angrily.

"There's more to this Natsu."

"I don't want to know. I want to hear it from himself."

Gemini gave a wickedly mischievous smile. "He wants to lose his virginity to you."

Lucy's face went almost purple with blushing. "What … you … you shouldn't tell others information like that!"

Gemini reached forward, touched Lucy's arm, and transformed into a copy of her. The smile became even more cunning, and the large brown eyes gleamed darkly. "Why, when you want the same naughty thing?"

Lucy looked aside from the copy of herself. "I do not," she muttered.

"Lucy's opinion of Natsu Dragion: cute but sometimes annoying, clean for a boy, talented cook, surprisingly sexy without a shirt, awesome kisser, a man who'd make the perfect husband."

"I never thought that," she yelled, although she blushed.

"Worried that he's only in love because he secretly likes Edolas' Lucy Ashley."

Lucy could not deny that she had that worry from time to time, but she still looked away petulantly.

"Feels guilty that he wants to stay, which means leaving behind his friends. Scared because he sometimes reminds Lucy of Natsu Dragneel. Worried that when Salamander returns, those feelings might shift to him."

Lucy began to explain, "Because I don't want to…"

"…to think that I love one Natsu because I might like the other." Gemini chuckled softly and tapped Lucy's lowered chin. "You and that boy are very much alike. You have the same opinions and identical insecurities. We're the Twins, we know about being just like someone else. One Natsu looks like the other Natsu, but their personalities are opposites. Yet Fireball has two personalities, and one is very much like Salamander. You fell in love with his own personality—the timid mouse—so you feel guilty for also liking the other personality—the wild race car driver. You feel it's like loving two people, and you're scared if a third personality enters the equation—Salamander's personality—that you'd fall for that, too. This boy has the same self-doubts. He thought Lucy Ashley was pretty, yet had no confidence to tell her so. He also thinks you're pretty, and you gave him the confidence to admit it. He's worried whether those feelings are for you alone, or partly for the woman left back home which he can only express to you. You both worry about the same problem, and you both fear that the other feels precisely the same way you do."

"So," Lucy whispered, "he's worried about his feelings, I'm worried about my own feelings, and we're both worried that the other is worried about the same thing we're worried about. That's really circular and confusing."

"Yep," Gemini admitted. "So maybe you both need to get over your insecurities before you test drive this car, because both of you want sex in the backseat."

"Hey!" Lucy yelled.

Right then, Loke arrived just in time to hear that last bit. He dropped the barrel down hard and shouted, "Lucy, I absolutely forbid you from losing your virginity in the backseat of a car. It should be in a king-size bed covered in satin sheets and rose petals, a hotel near the beach, wine and chocolates, both of us wrapped in yukata…"

"What's this _both of us_ fantasy, pervy Lion!" Lucy yelled. "And don't talk about losing virginity so loudly. The neighbors probably heard you." She covered her face. "Sheesh, so embarrassing!"

Gemini shifted back into looking like Erza. "Well, I'm off to buy the rest of the lacrima fuel. You two really should talk."

Loke nodded firmly. "Yes, we need to talk about our honeymoon night."

"Who said anything about honeymoons?" Lucy snapped.

"Ah, but first a chapel. I know the perfect place."

"Loke, I'm dating someone, so quit your fantasies and … and … go on a date or something!"

"A date? With you? I accept!" he grinned. "You know, although I'm a jealous boyfriend…"

" _Boyfriend!_ "

"...I'm always open to threesomes," he grinned lasciviously. "Although usually it's two girls, I could make an exception."

"Oh, for the love of…" Lucy picked up her Spirit Keys again. "Force close the Lion's Gate!"

"Awww, no goodbye kiss?" Loke suddenly vanished back to the Spirit World.

Lucy folded her arms and sulked. "I _hate_ playboys."

* * *

That evening, just before the light was out of the sky, Lucy and Edo-Natsu deemed the car ready. He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and sat in the driver's seat.

"Should I sit, too?" Lucy asked.

"No. Actually, stand back a bit," he said, looking nervous. "Either this is going to turn over and start, it'll doing nothing at all, or…" He broke off and cringed.

"Or?" she urged anxiously. "This isn't going to blow up, will it?"

"Umm…" He bit his lip almost hard enough to draw blood. "To be honest, I'm not sure if the lacrima in Earthland has the same properties as the lacrima in Edolas. I've been going off the assumption that they're identical, since King Faust was using Earthland lacrima to fuel Royal City, but if not … just … just stand back, Princess. Actually, maybe you should be in the house, just in case this thing blows."

"Fireball, no!" she shouted. "If there's that much of a danger…"

"It's worth it!" he shouted back, then cowered down. "Ah, sorry." He trembled a little and had to remind himself that this was not a woman who would pummel him just for raising his voice. "This car … if it works, it'll give me a reason to live."

She looked a bit sad. "Am I not a reason to live?"

"Of course you are, but … but…"

She looked aside. She knew this car project was important to him, but this was the first time she realized just how important transportation was to Edo-Natsu. "Cars, vehicles, transportation: it's the meaning of your life."

He frowned, sad to see her taking this so hard. "I'm a driver. It's who I am."

She backed up. "I'll watch from the porch," she decided. "I hope it works so you can discover more things to live for."

"Thanks, Princess," he whispered. Then Edo-Natsu looked down at the key in his hand. "Hey, I just thought of something," he called over, stopping her retreat. "Your life as a wizard revolves around those keys that open gates to a new world." He held up the car key. "This is my key, Princess. It also opens new paths. It gives meaning to my life, a definition to who I am. Isn't it cool? We both use keys," he smiled.

She could hardly help but think that it was Natsu's signature grin, a little foolish, but something that always made her sigh and give in to the Dragon Slayer's unique logic. Lucy walked over to the car again, pulled the key up, and kissed it.

"For luck," she smiled. Then she leaned over and kissed Edo-Natsu as well. "And also to you, Fireball. I hope it works."

"Get ready to celebrate, Princess," he chuckled, and a faint gleam of that alter-ego was already in his eyes.

Lucy backed away, praying it would work, shivering with anxiousness. She watched through the shadowy gloaming, a time when the whole world turned into shades of red and pink, when dark shades of night crept out and a scarlet haziness covered the land as day ended. All this crimson and cerise light seemed to blend together with the red car and pink-haired driver, until it all blurred together.

Edo-Natsu caressed the car key right over the lip mark Lucy left behind. He slid the key into the ignition, took one last breath, and let it out with a sighing prayer of ' _Please work!_ ' Then, gritting his teeth and expecting the worst, he turned the key.

There was grinding, a grumble, sputtering, and suddenly a roar as the car came to life. He stared in awe at the dashboard as lights flickered on and the fuel gauge peaked. He felt the rumble under him and listened to the roar of the engine. A laugh of disbelief shivered out, and he was so overwhelmed that he did not even realize Lucy was there until she had her arms wrapped around him.

"You did it, Fireball! You did it!"

"A … a car," he stuttered, and a tear dripped down his face. "I have a car."

He looked up into Lucy's face. She was shocked to see, not the maniac driver, but a sobbing boy overcome by elation.

"Lucy, I … I have a car!"

She sighed as she realized that this really did give meaning to his life. She tried to imagine it: if she lost her Spirit Keys and had no ability to do what she did best, no way to fight with her friends, feeling utterly useless, how ecstatic would she be to get even Plue's key back? That sort of happiness must be what Edo-Natsu was feeling now.

Really, although he looked like Natsu Dragneel, emotionally this boy from Edolas was much more like herself.

She leaned through the opened window, tipped her head to fit through, and gave him a kiss. He looked stunned, and she caressed his cheek.

"I'm really happy for you," she said earnestly.

"P-princess?" he whispered, as if momentarily confused if she was Edo-Lucy or Earth-Lucy.

"Let's celebrate tonight, and we'll go on a drive tomorrow."

"Y-yeah," he stuttered. Then he looked at the key in the ignition. "Can I drive it just around the block? I need to make sure the brakes work and the gauges are okay before I let you ride with me. I want to make sure it's safe."

"Good idea," she nodded. "I'll get dinner started. Go have fun." She pulled herself out of the car and straightened her clothes.

"Princess," he said, leaning through the window after her. "I…" He hesitated, which confused Lucy. She thought that once he had his car, he would be that wild fiend once more. Instead, he still looked a little timid. "Thanks for staying by my side through all this and supporting me. I can't even begin to tell you how happy that makes me. My Lucy would have just laughed at me, so … so I'm really glad … um…" He gulped hard, then firmed up and looked solidly at her. "I'm glad you're the Lucy I fell in love with."

Tears of happiness threatened to overwhelm her. He really did love her for who she was, not just how she looked. Lucy leaned over and gave him another kiss. "Crazy Fireball!" she chuckled. "I'm glad you crashed into my life."

He looked relieved. Then she backed away. Edo-Natsu slowly turned the wheels, creeping the car forward and out of the backyard, gingerly squeezing through an alley that led out to the street. Lucy followed behind the car and watched as Edo-Natsu took it out onto the road. He lowered his goggles, and the wild grin returned to his face.

"Don't wait up for me, babe," he called out. The wheels suddenly spun and smoked. The car jolted forward with a screech, and Lucy could hear his howl of " _Gooooo Fire!_ " as Fireball Natsu raced down Strawberry Street.

" _Just around the block_ , my ass!" she mumbled, yet she could hardly help but laugh and feel happy for him. "Have fun, you crazy wheel-brain."

**End of Chapter 16**


	17. Asking a Favor

An hour later, Lucy had just finished a pasta dinner when she heard a screech of breaks outside and the slam of a car door shutting. She smiled to herself and straightened her hair, hoping she looked nice when Edo-Natsu entered. She wanted to congratulate him properly, maybe even give him another kiss if he was brave enough. She made sure the food was ready, then tried to pretend like she was still busy while her heart pounded with excitement.

Tonight would be just a simple celebration, but her mind was already on tomorrow. Tomorrow, they would drive together in that car. She would sit next to him as he smoked his tires and proved to the people of Earthland just why he was known as _Fireball Natsu_. That wild personality would fully take over, just him and her in the car, the two of them riding off...to who knows where!

What would happen? What did she _want_ to happen? Gemini had sneaked a peek into some of the naughty fantasies she had. It was terrible of her, but she could hardly help but think weird things with that cute boy around.

She heard stomping feet hurrying up the central staircase, then the front door pounded open.

"Hey, careful!" she shouted in annoyance. That was the sort of reckless way Natsu and Gray entered her house, and it always made her mad.

The large wooden door slammed shut, shaking the walls. Those feet stormed through the main room to the kitchen. Before she could turn around and say 'Welcome home,' Edo-Natsu grabbed her shoulder, spun her around roughly, and thrust her up against the kitchen counter. She felt the base of her spine smash against the sink as he dominated over her. Suddenly, one hand was on her hair, pulling just enough to tip her head up without being painful, and the other hand held her chin to make sure she did not escape. Captured like a rabbit in a snare, Lucy could not move as his lips crashed onto hers.

Lucy's eyes went wide. Was this really timid little Fireball? Then she noticed the goggles up in the pink hair. Definitely Fireball, but this was so rough, forceful, rambunctious...and outside of his car, too.

Satisfied that her face was his, his hands let go and grabbed her waist instead, clutching her curves possessively while his hips held her pinned against the counter. His fingers slid down to her butt and grabbed it to pull her toward him.

"Mmmph!" she cried out through the smothering kiss as she felt something stiff press against her lower stomach.

Edo-Natsu groaned, then shifted his hips to slide his arousal against her, pressing her harder against the edge of the counter until her spine hurt. He was immensely aroused; the feel both terrified her and made her moist between her legs. Lucy felt her stomach tightening, and her legs trembled weakly as she let Edo-Natsu thrust against her like an animal.

Suddenly, his hips dipped down, and instead of rubbing against her lower belly, that arousal poked at her skirt, thrusting toward something hotter, wetter. Lucy panicked, tried to push him away, but he pulled her even closer with more urgency. Then, as if in an afterthought, one of his hands rested at her lower back, cushioning her from the hard counter edge. It was such a small but thoughtful gesture amidst the rough kisses and desperate thrusting.

"Princess," he moaned. "God, I want you!"

The lusty tones in his voice scared her, yet she desired more. He gently licked her lips, and her tongue ventured out to meet his. It was a moist and sensual dance, romping from one mouth into the next, taking turns at tasting each other. Lucy melted at the gentleness of the kiss compared to the wildness happening below the belt. This sort of softer kiss was something he did outside of the car, yet the dry humping was the sort of thing that wild personality would do. Lucy realized, Fireball must be experiencing both personalities at once to act this way. It was so unique, so erotic, blending his wild side and his timid side. She craved more!

As if sensing her desires, his tongue slid fully into her mouth, filling the space rather than sharing it. In return, Lucy sucked his tongue, and she heard Edo-Natsu grunt with a flinch, while his arousal twitched hard enough for her to feel it. She felt a boost of confidence at finding something he liked. Sucking, huh? She could get used to that. And more!

His hands moved up her waist, gliding over her tight shirt to the massive mounds. He cupped them, feeling their soft suppleness. He could hardly believe a person could be so squishy, and he shuddered as his fingers were filled with those feminine treasures. His fingers squeezed a little, and his thumb ran over the skin until he felt a small nub poking through the shirt. His thumb ran circles around the nipple, enticing it to get harder.

Lucy shuddered out a moan, shocked at feeling someone touching her breasts. His hands were strong, yet they touched her so gently. She had seen those hands twist scrap metal into a working car, and now they were twisting her nipples, changing her body from the slightly awkward Celestial Spirit wizard into something sensual and sultry.

"I love you, Lucy," he breathed into her ear, and he smiled when he felt her tremble at the warm air.

"Fireball," she groaned.

"Call me Natsu," he requested. He left off the breasts and wrapped her into a tight hug, as if fearing she might disappear on him. "Just once, call me by my name."

She looked up into his sage green eyes. They were not wide and innocent now, but lowered, hooded, with darkness glowing behind them. They were terrifying eyes that seemed like they wanted to devour her whole: body and soul. Timidly, she tested out the name she had said hundreds of times, but always referring to someone else. It was just the name for Summer, after all. Plenty of people had the name Natsu. It was just two syllables.

"Natsu."

Hearing her say his name made him smile. "I like how you say my name, but...but I don't want to be that other Natsu to you." His timidity was quickly creeping back in, reflected by a stutter to his words. "I like when you call me Fireball, because I know you're thinking of me, not him, but...but I really love hearing you say my real name."

Lucy remembered what Gemini warned about both of them fearing that this haphazard attraction was not real, only displaced emotions for their doppelgängers. It seemed that was all true. Whenever he called her Lucy, she secretly dreaded that he was thinking of Ashley. Same with him, he secretly feared she was thinking of Dragneel.

"Be honest," he said, looking sternly serious. "Do you have feelings for that other Natsu?"

Lucy gulped hard under such a strong, narrow gaze. "I might," she confessed, "but they're different from what I feel for you. Natsu Dragneel is my friend and teammate, so of course we're close. Maybe I've...considered the possibility," she confessed, "but I usually come to the conclusion that it'd never work between us. He's more like an annoying little brother." She laughed awkwardly, yet her gaze drifted. Thanks to Mirajane, she had seriously considered a romance with Natsu, and while it was appealing, she knew it was impractical. "We're too different, and if we got together only to break up, it'd destroy the team. I don't want to risk it. And you? You like the other Lucy, don't you?"

"I did," he confessed. "Lucy Ashley is intimidating as hell, but she always looked so happy to see me return from one of my long drives. She was one of the only people in the world who gave a damn about me. She holds the guild together, protects everyone, and I admire that. But...her and me?" He shook his head, dismissing the possibility. "She hates riding in my car, and that's the only time I'm brave enough to even think about trying anything."

"You try stuff here outside of your car," Lucy pointed out. "You can even burst into my home and kiss me like that."

"Because it's you," he said, then shrugged when he realized that was not really an explanation. "I trust you. I know you won't hit me. It makes me feel braver. Lucy Ashley made me feel tiny and weak. That's why, with her, it was only _like_ , never _love_. With you..." His lids lowered, and he leaned in close to her face again. _"Love_ is something I've only ever felt for you, Princess."

"Same with me," Lucy whispered, anticipating his next kiss. "Maybe I _like_ Salamander, but I love you. It's different."

"Totally different," he agreed, and he gave her a chaste kiss that left her completely unfulfilled. "It's scary, isn't it? Worrying if what I feel is because of you, or because of her. But right now..." He rested his nose against Lucy's and looked happily into her huge, brown eyes. "It's you I love, Lucy Heartfilia. I wanna be the only Natsu you love...because you're the only Lucy I love," he confessed in a sultry whisper.

"Oh Natsu," she sighed with tears in her eyes. Then she reached up, held his cheeks, and kissed him firmly.

The kiss was not as rough as it had been at first, but it was filled with far deeper passion. Lucy wrapped her arms around him and pulled Edo-Natsu closer. His eyes opened hazily during the kiss and gazed down at her, feeling so happy he could cry. His heart pounded at how lovely she looked. Gemini had snitched that he thought she was as beautiful as a goddess, and that was true. For him, she was perfection in human form. He could not understand how the other Natsu worked beside her every day, yet he did not desire her as a woman. It made him wonder what Natsu Dragneel's _type_ was. If he himself loved Lucy's type, did that mean Natsu Dragneel liked Edo-Lucy's type? He simply could not imagine those two misfits together! So instead, he wondered if Salamander really did love Lucy. In that case, either the dragon slayer was even more reserved in expressing his feelings than Fireball was, or he was too inexperienced, maybe even immature, to figure out his emotions.

He shut his eyes and focused solely on kissing Lucy, not wanting to worry about what that other Natsu thought. Right now, Lucy was with _him_! He was the one she loved, and he loved her. For the present, that was all that mattered.

"Natsu," she moaned. "Natsu Dragion."

He pulled up, blinked in amazement, then smiled broadly. "Say my whole name again."

She raised a curious eyebrow, yet she repeated herself. "Natsu Dragion."

He grabbed her into a happy, crushing hug. "Sheesh, you are too cute when you say my whole name!" Just as quickly, he let go, backed away, and blushed fiercely. "Ah...um, sorry. Sorry about all of this. Aftereffects from driving, I guess."

"Are you sure it's just from the driving?" she asked coyly.

"Yeah, because I'd never have the guts to do this on my own." He laughed nervously.

She wrapped her hands around his waist and pulled him back to her. "Maybe you should!"

He looked stunned, then nervous, cringing a little and looking anywhere but at her face. However, his eyes were drawn to her chest and those massive breasts he had groped just a minute ago. He swallowed hard as he looked at them, remembering how they felt. His chest hurt to breathe, and the ache in his pants was throwing off his ability to think clearly.

"I...I don't know exactly what to do, though," he whispered bashfully. "I have no clue about these sorts of things."

"You obviously know deep inside." Lucy leaned into his ear and slowly hissed out in a stream of hot air. "Na-tsu...Dra-gi-on!"

He shuddered and instinctively made a thrust up against her again. They could both feel that hardness press against her.

"See, you know what to do."

He backed off. Yes, he knew the basics! He would rather not tell her the details, but he had been with girls in the backseat of his car before. He never let things get too far, but it was the only place where he could be bold enough to express any sort of sexuality. Until now, that is. Now, instincts coursed through him like fuel through an engine. He could act this way around Lucy outside of the car, because he knew she would protect him, even if what he asked was inappropriate.

"Lucy," he said timidly. "I'm going to ask something really selfish, and if you don't want to, it's perfectly fine to say no. It's even fine if you slap me."

"I'm not going to hit you."

"You might for this one," he said, seemingly convinced this was a bad idea, yet ready to try it anyway.

She patiently waited for him to say what he wanted, through many stutters as his face went brighter and brighter.

"Y-you see, I kinda need to...to...um...work _this thing_ off," he mumbled, motioning to the erection. "And...I could just...just go into the bathroom and...I could...you know...but I was wondering if...um...wondering if you could...a-a-and you really don't have to," he assured quickly, "but if you could...um... _help_ , and...and, um...uh..." He fisted up his hands in frustration. "Dammit, I can't ask! I knew I couldn't. Um...s-sorry. Forget it."

"It's okay," Lucy said timidly. "I'll...I'll do it."

Edo-Natsu stared in bewilderment. Did she really understand all that gibberish? "Uh...um...d-d-do _what_ , exactly?"

Her heart pounded wildly, yet she looked down to his pants and slowly dragged her tongue over her lips to silently let him know. He got the idea.

"Oh! Um, yeah, that's...that's, um...that's what I meant," he stuttered out. "But...but you don't really _have to_ , you know, I just...um...I thought maybe..." He stopped again and looked up into her face with hope and worry. "Do you...really want to?"

"Yes," she blushed.

"Oh. Okay. Um...okay," he said awkwardly. "Wow." He laughed with nervousness. "I...I've never done it before."

"Me neither," she admitted. "I just hope I do it right. You'll have to guide me."

"Oh...w-well, I don't know either." He looked away, unable to look into such an innocent face. "We're both new at this sort of thing, huh?"

"Yeah," Lucy whispered. The whole scene in the kitchen suddenly felt surreal to her. Lustful instincts were guiding her, and she determinedly put logic and restraint to the side for now.

"Well...um...I...I don't know what to say. Um...thanks?" He laughed awkwardly. "Okay, that's dumb. I...I'm just going to shut up now. But...um...wh-where should I go? What works best for you?"

Lucy glanced around the house. The bed was too tempting for more things. The bathroom would make cleaning up easier, but it would also be uncomfortable. "The cushion chair?"

"Chair! Yeah, chair. Chair with cushions. Cushion chair. Yeah, that works."

"Are you really okay?" she asked in worry.

"Sorry. The effects of the drive are wearing off. Just...just nervous as hell, that's all." He laughed awkwardly. "Well, I'm...I'm just going to go over here."

He walked mechanically out of the kitchen and into the main room, not really expecting her to go through with this, simply glad Lucy had not pounded him. Belatedly, he realized she was following him. He glanced back to her, and he felt terrible, like he was forcing her to do something despicable.

"You really don't have to," he assured her, and his voice cracked a little from the strain in his chest and groin.

"No, I...I want to try it." She walked up and pressed her body against him. Despite his timidity, he was still rock hard. "Are you sure you want it?"

"I want much more," he confessed with passion in his eyes, "but I don't have the nerve to do that much. Even this...I've never done this, so...so I'm worried what you'll think."

"Let me judge that," she smiled, realizing she needed to be the one to take control. "You just stand here."

She sat on the soft chair while he stood directly in front of her. He watched her as she caressed his erection through the pants. Already, his breathing was getting faster. Her touches made him shudder, and he felt as if he could shoot off already, fully clothed.

Then Lucy tugged on the hem of his pants. "Take it off," she ordered, trying to sound dominating for his sake.

He gulped hard and obeyed. He loosened his belt, undid the zipper, and let the pants fall to his ankles. He began to push down his boxers, but Lucy softly batted his hands away.

"Let me," she said.

Lucy took the edge of the elastic band and slipped it down little by little. She could already see the size of the stiff pole straining to be freed.

She bit her lip as she thought about what he had asked. How much courage did he dig up in order to request something like that? Lucy felt she could never ask for something similar. He was brave and bold, even if he was timid. She admired that about him and wanted to praise him. That was the best way to help him overcome his bashfulness. Make him take chances, then reward him!

And boy, did she want to reward him!

She carefully pulled the elastic over the stiff head, being careful not to let it rub against the erection just in case that sort of thing hurt. Finally, the boxers dropped, and she stared awestruck at the present before her. She had seen Gray naked lots of times. She realized, she had also seen Edo-Natsu naked once before, when he hit his head in the bathtub. However, this...this was different. It was up, engorged, long and curving toward his belly button. Although tonight was not going to be about sex, she still squeezed her thighs as she thought: _Damn, how can something like that fit inside?_

"Princess?"

He looked down with happiness and worry. He could hardly believe she agreed to do something this intimate, yet he wondered if it was going too fast. He had never had a serious relationship, just minor flings while in his car. He had no idea how fast or slow relationships were supposed to go. He hated to admit that his only role models were Gildarts Nash's romance novels, the risqué relationship between Levy and Gajeel back home, Edo-Wendy's habit of ensnaring men, and Lucy Ashley's sadistic tendencies, fucking people she barely knew. Edolas' Fairy Tail was hardly the best source of information on how to proceed in a relationship. He just knew he wanted more and more of Lucy Heartfilia, and his body kept warning him not to waste time.

If she was willing, he was _definitely_ ready.

Lucy leaned forward to the intimidating shaft, inspecting it with a bit of clinical curiosity. Its shape, the wrinkles in the skin, the tuft of pink hair below, everything was fascinating. Slowly, it was not just looking that she wanted. Like a child at a zoo, she wanted to not only see the wild animals, but to touch them, even if she knew it was dangerous.

She saw a little liquid on top and used her thumb to wipe it off, smearing around the flared head. It was so soft here and felt so strange. She saw what she guessed was foreskin, and she pouted in confusion.

"What do I do with this?" she asked, pointing to the skin still trying to hood him.

"You...um...you just push it back...I guess," he stuttered breathlessly.

Her fingers were delicate, fearing to hurt him, as she rubbed down the shaft, pushing the foreskin back. He lost all breath in his lungs, and she glanced up to see his face going a darker shade of crimson. Emboldened, her hand stroked down, then back up, feeling the rigidity and bulging veins. However, Edo-Natsu flinched a little.

"Wait, it...it's a little dry."

Lucy looked up, not sure what he meant. "What do you normally do?"

He paled a little at being asked something so intimate. "I...um...well...either some l-l-lotion or...or...um, I...I spit on my hand. But maybe...instead..."

His green eyes were solidly on her lips. Lucy figured out what he meant before he had the chance to stutter it out. She leaned forward again and licked, lathing over the whole length. It had a unique taste, different from the rest of his body, and a strong, musky smell that heated her body up like a fire fueled on liquid hormones. She grasped him again and stroked slowly, letting the moisture help her fingers to glide.

"Shit!" hissed Edo-Natsu.

Lucy looked up at him in worry. "Bad?"

"No! No, it's good. Really...damn...good."

That made her smile. He was cute, blushing so much, and his face looked erotic as he gasped at the gentleness of her hands. Then Lucy remembered how he had shuddered when she sucked on his tongue. Something like that was what she truly wanted to try! It was why she agreed to this. She could have agreed only to touch him, to rub him off with her hands, yet she had licked her lips when silently replying.

She wanted to suck him...hard!

Cana had drunkenly told her lots of information on how to do blowjobs, but Lucy never imagined she would actually do one. She hated to admit that she was scared she would do it all wrong, he would not enjoy it, or even worse, she might hurt him. Summoning some of her own hidden bravery, she stuck her tongue out and licked.

Edo-Natsu shivered at the moist heat and felt himself swell even more. Then Lucy licked around the head and lapped her tongue over the slit. The moan from him excited her. The idea that she was making a man feel this way—her, Lucy Heartfilia, the girl people in the guild teased would never find a boyfriend—was deeply satisfying to her ego.

Boosted with confidence, she took just the head into her mouth and licked a circle around him. Something vaguely profane hissed between his teeth, but it was so distorted by his gritted teeth, she could not make out the words. Slowly, she took it in deeper. Cana had said something about _gag reflexes_ and to go only as deep as was comfortable. Lucy tested that out now. Slowly, shielding her teeth with her lips, she took him in more and more. She was mildly surprised at the depths of her own mouth, and his trembling showed that he was also shocked.

Finally, she felt him hit the back of her throat. It triggered no gagging, luckily, but she did not think it could go further, not without sliding down her throat. Quite honestly, she felt that sort of trick was impossible with someone so thick in girth. She pulled back instead, keeping her lips firmly around him as she dragged her head back.

"Princess, that's...it's...damn!" He tensed up and yanked away from her, stumbling back a step.

Feeling him retreat so suddenly worried her. "Am I doing it wrong?" she cringed. _Oh God, did my teeth scrape him? Was I sucking too hard? Did I hurt him?_

"No! It's good. God, it feels amazing! But...but I'm..."

He bit his lower lip, breathing too fast to speak. He suddenly leaned over and kissed her. Standing over her, with Lucy sitting on the chair and looking up at him, he felt like he was over her, controlling her, and it was a feeling he was not at all used to.

"It's a little too good," he confessed in a husky whisper, "and I'm...I'm afraid to..." He broke off again, wishing he knew how to say these sorts of things in a way that was not the floral prose of Gildarts Nash's smutty novels, and not the profanity of Lucy Ashley.

Lucy said it instead. "You're almost there, right?"

He worried that it was so soon, but he nodded. "Do you want to...to...see it through to the end?"

She realized what he meant, and with her heart pounding in her throat, she nodded.

He leaned over, held her face to turn it up, and kissed her firmly. Resting his forehead against hers, with his pink hair blending with her blonde strands, he breathed hotly, "Thank you. I can't even begin to tell you how happy this makes me feel."

"Then show me." She grasped him again and pumped his full length, now wet from her mouth. "Show me how much I can pleasure you." She leaned in and gave him a long lick from base to head. He shuddered, and Lucy glanced up with a sly smirk. "Reward me," she demanded.

Edo-Natsu looked at her in amazement. She was part goddess, part succubus, and completely dominating his emotions. He loved it!

Lucy had to twist her neck awkwardly to reach him fully. The angle made it challenging, and she had to hold his cock to keep him at the right angle to really suck on him. Although she loved the feel of him standing over her, looking down, and watching her, she realized this would cramp her neck. Plus she saw his knees trembling. She raised her head, popped the cock out of her mouth, and gazed up at him.

"Would this be easier with you lying down?"

He was completely red and panting, but he nodded, realizing that his legs were quickly getting weak. She moved over to the bed and patted for him to lie down. He stared at the hallowed pink comforter, then at her, as if asking if a lowly dog like him who had been sleeping at her feet this whole time was really allowed up on the Master's bed. With another muted pat to the blankets, he stepped over, aware that he was wearing only his shirt, no pants, no boxers.

"Take that off, too," Lucy ordered.

He froze, and his breath hitched slightly. Slowly, he pulled the shirt over his head.

Lucy looked him up and down with approval. He looked hot shirtless, but fully naked like this...she would need to check her thesaurus for a word that was hotter than _hot_.

He laid down on the bed, staring at her with huge, wondering eyes. She smiled down at him, leaned over, and kissed him. He flinched a little, tasting something he knew must be his own pre-cum. She was putting up with a taste like that, all for him! Then, on an impulse, Lucy climbed up on top of him.

"Princess!" he squawked, startled by the move.

Lucy's body tingled, her panties were uncomfortably drenched, and she desperately needed something to touch her. She rubbed her panties over his cock, just enough to tease him and to rub out the yearning she felt. He gulped hard as he looked up at her undulating body. His hands twitched, wanting to grab her and pull her down hard onto him, but he was too scared to do anything she would not want. Lucy saw the anguish in his face, so she climbed down and just sat on the edge of the bed.

"You deserve a reward for getting that car to work," she said in a sultry tone. Then Lucy leaned over and took as much cock into her mouth as she could. This angle worked much better on her gag reflexes, and she could fit almost the whole thing inside. What did not fit in her mouth, she used her hand.

Edo-Natsu stiffened and gritted his teeth. Despite himself, he held the back of her head and thrust more into her mouth.

When he asked for this, he had no idea it would feel this good. He just thought it was rude to masturbate in her bathroom, and after attacking her in the kitchen, he worried that he might have left her aroused also. Now she was actually doing it, and he realized...he had no clue what to do back to her. He really wished they were in the car, where he could feel in charge and confident. As it was, he was worried about doing anything wrong, and he felt bad that Lucy had to take charge. He wanted to make up for it.

"Should I...um...t-touch you somewhere?" he asked nervously.

Lucy did not removed her lips from him. She blindly reached back to his hands, grabbed both, and thrust one of them to her breasts, while she placed the other between her legs, pressing his fingers against the moist spot on the panties. Edo-Natsu gulped hard as he felt her softness again and smelled the musky aroma of her arousal. With one hand, he pinched and teased the nipple, while with the other hand he rubbed against her panties. Then he felt a little nub, rubbed that part, and Lucy moaned loudly around his cock.

"Oh damn!" he groaned. "That's...oh Lucy..."

Touching her, feeling her suck on him, making her squirm while he wanted to thrust into her mouth: the whole experience put Edo-Natsu into a zen-like trance. His mind blanked out. Sensations, emotions, lust, desire, sensuality—only those sorts of things existed now. And they overwhelmed him!

"Princess?"

She hummed a question.

He was about to tell her to stop, to assure her that she did not have to do this, that maybe it was too much too soon, but her hum, added with a voracious suck up the entire length, proved to be too much.

"P-Princess!" he shouted. "I'm gonna...gonna..." He wondered what to call it. Lucy Ashley called it _cumming_ , which sounded crude. The teetotaling Cana called it _ejaculation_ , which sounded too technical. Gray Surge called it _peaking_ , a good euphemism but could be confusing. Before he could figure out what to call it, he felt Lucy sucking harder, felt himself hitting the back of her throat again and again, and suddenly everything burst in blinding whiteness.

"Lucy!" he shouted, her name drawing out in a squeal on his lips.

Lucy's eyes widened as a warm liquid filled her mouth. She knew what to expect, but the taste was a lot worse than she had anticipated. Cana's claim that men tasted _as sweet as Valentine's candy_ was a load of lies! It was bitter with a strong saltiness, and as she tried to swallow it down, she nearly choked at how thick the fluid was.

She suddenly felt his hand land on her head, trying to hold her still. She paused, still feeling jolts through the shaft, twitches that shuddered against her tongue, and his breathing came heavy yet unsteady. Finally, she pulled away and looked down. Already, the penis had begun to shrink and flopped to the side, spent and satisfied. Again she tried to swallow only to choke on the thick fluid in her mouth.

"Spit it out," he encouraged. He grabbed a nearby washcloth that he was going to use for showering and handed it to her. "It's enough. Spit it out."

She did, then looked down at the white fluid in virginal awe. It was the first time Lucy had ever actually seen semen. It looked so...normal. Just thick and milky.

"Are you okay?" he asked in worry.

Lucy nodded, then coughed up a little bit more, spitting out some extra fluid. She folded up the washcloth and wiped her mouth. "Are you?" she asked.

"Definitely," he sighed, smiling gratefully at her. He reached forward and caressed her cheek. "I love you so much," he whispered ardently. "I want to do something for you, but...um...but I don't really know...um...that is...well, I'm not sure what...what...um...what women like," he stuttered. "I mean, besides kissing and boobies and stuff. Beyond that, I...I'm really not experienced at all. Should I...t-touch you more?"

"No, I'm...I'm not really sure if I'm ready for that."

"That's fine!" he said loudly with strained words, then he coughed out a hitch in his throat and softened his voice. "It's fine. Whatever you want. I mean, I can...I can touch you if you want...or more," he bravely offered, thinking about how it might be to lick her down there. " _But!_ But...but if you're not ready, then...then it's f-fine. I d-don't want to do more than...than what you want."

"Sleep with me tonight," she requested. His face instantly paled, and his eyes went massive. "I mean here, in my bed, cuddling...not naked. I'd really like to fall asleep with you holding me."

"Oh!" He laughed out his nervousness. "Yeah, I...I can do that much."

"Dinner first?" she asked.

"Oh! Y-yeah. Sorry if it's cold. Sorta got distracted. Um...I'll go...um...wash up and...and then we can...um...eat dinner. Sorry."

"It's okay," she assured, running her fingers through his hair. "I enjoyed it."

His eyes widened, and a smile struggled to his lips. "Really?" he asked hopefully.

She blushed and nodded bashfully. "I'll warm up the food."

Edo-Natsu suddenly felt a surge of warmth and happiness that seared through the nervousness. He leaned forward, grabbed Lucy's head, and crashed his lips against her. His tongue thrust in, and he could taste even more of his bitterness on her. She had put up with such a bad taste, all to please him. He really wished he could express his happiness, but words failed him.

"Natsu...Dragion." The surname sounded forced out.

He smiled sadly. "Still weird to say it?"

"A little," she admitted. "I don't want to think about him...just you."

"Then don't force yourself. Just say my name once in a while, when it doesn't feel awkward. I'll do the same...Princess Lucy."

She blushed and looked aside. "That's even more embarrassing than just Princess."

A tiny, mischievous smirk shined rebelliously on his face. "Then maybe I'll use it more often."

Before she could respond, he clambered off the bed. That was more than enough bravery for one night! He picked up his clothes and rushed to the bathroom.

Lucy took a moment to cool off. She tossed the dirty washcloth away and went to her dresser to change panties. They were darkened with moisture and smelled strongly feminine. She had been tempted to let him touch her more, but she still felt bashful about showing her orgasm to another person. She was glad he had not tried to force her.

She used her old underwear to wipe up the juiciness, put on a fresh pair, then went to the kitchen. She scrubbed her hands, washed out her mouth, and swished with some wine to get out the taste. Once she was cleaned, she touched her lips.

"Did I really just give a...a...a blowjob?" She shuddered as reality belatedly sank in.

She could hardly believe Edo-Natsu had asked that of her, and she was even more surprised that she agreed. It was way too fast, yet she felt like they had no time to waste on being timid and innocent when what they both wanted was so much more. Still, if the people in the guild knew they were this intimate, they would scold her harshly, reminding her that he had to go home some day.

Maybe that was why she had agreed. Maybe the fear of losing him made Lucy want to do as much as she could now before he changed his mind and went back to Edolas.

* * *

In the bathroom, Edo-Natsu was in the midst of a full-blown panic attack.

"Shit, shit, shit!" he repeated, curled up on the floor naked, hugging his knees to his chest in a fetal position, shivering as reality swept away any shreds of confidence. "How could I have asked that? I'm an asshole! A total asshole! It's way too soon! But...but she said yes. Why did she say yes? Oh no, maybe she felt forced to say yes. Yes, that's it. Forced! I...I forced her. Oh shit!" Tears ran down his face. "I just wanna curl up and die," he sobbed.

He was hyperventilating now, and he felt like passing out. He knew he needed to calm himself before Lucy got worried. At the very least, he had to clean up and get his pants back on. However, the shivering would not stop.

"I can't believe she...she really...dammit!" A powerful shudder trembled through his whole body. "How can I even look at her after that? Her friends will despise me for dirtying her. That Knightwalker lookalike will skewer me. Gray Fullbuster...we were just starting to be friends, but I know he thinks Princess is cute. He's gonna hate me. God!"

Fresh, hot tears streamed down his face and onto the cold bathroom tile.

"But...but she agreed. She insisted. She...she took control. And she wants to...to...to s-sleep together. In her bed!"

He shuddered again, but the fear was slowly ebbing away.

"She...she wants...to sleep with me. Me with her. In...in her bed." Slowly, a warm flush replaced the shivers. "She wants...to sleep...together. Princess Lucy and me." He laughed a little, thinking he was the luckiest man in Earthland and Edolas. "She likes me. She...she likes me enough to...to do _that_ , and to...to try to swallow it...and...and to...to want to s-sleep...t-together!"

He slowly raised to his unstable feet and looked into the mirror over the sink. An astonished face looked back as the truth finally dawned on him.

"She really loves me. Lucy Heartfilia...loves me." Panic suddenly returned. "Oh my God! A girl loves me!" He shook his head roughly. "Keep it together, Natsu. You knew that already. You've know that for a while now. Still...she loves me this much. She loves me enough to...to do _that_...to want me to hold her through the night...in her bed."

As he looked into the mirror, it was like the reflection became someone else. Narrow eyes glinted back at him.

"I wanna fuck her in the backseat of the car!"

He shook his head. "No! No way, that...that's too much. That's way too much."

"She might like it. She agreed to the blowjob."

"That's...no! It's different."

"The cock just goes in another hole, that's all."

He bit on his finger, fretting over those hidden desires, feelings that always remained hidden, yet emerged with the freedom of transportation. They were very close to the surface now.

"I...I want to," he breathed in confession. "But only if she wants to. I...I need to b-behave myself. Too much too soon, and she'll only hate me. Speed limit, Natsu, speed limit! I need...control. Keep control, even in the car. Oh damn, I c-can never keep control while on transportation. Especially with her...I don't think I can...can control myself. I...I don't know...if I'd want...to hold back."

He looked back up into the mirror, a fretful coward with nervous eyes, yet slowly that face changed. A sly smirk crept up.

"I don't want to! Not with her."

There was a knock on the door. "Fireball? Are you...um...okay?"

"Fine!" he screamed, and his voice cracked as the devious side was instantly banished. He wet a washcloth and quickly wiped up between his thighs. "I'm just...um...thinking and...I'm...I'm almost done. I'm sorry."

"Food is on the table."

"I'm...I'm almost done. I'm not doing anything weird." He cringed as soon as he said it. That sounded way more suspicious.

Edo-Natsu yanked his pants up, shrugged on his shirt, and stepped out. Lucy was at the table. She had arranged it nicely, with a candle burning, some flowers in a vase, and a bottle of wine already opened. He blinked in astonishment at the set up.

"Congratulations," she beamed.

"On what?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"On the car, of course!"

"Car?" It took his mind a moment to forget about the intimacy of a few minutes ago. "Oh! Right! The car. Yeah, it...it works. Really well, actually."

He sat down, and as they ate the pasta dinner, he told her about his brief drive. He had actually not driven very far. He stopped at a store to pick up some supplies that he would need in the car, just in case anything happened. Then they washed the dishes and got ready for bed.

They dressed in separate rooms, but Lucy wondered if he would come willingly to her. She also wondered if asking him to sleep next to her was too much. The blowjob had been more of a spur-of-the-moment thing, but changing their sleeping arrangements could potentially change everything about their relationship. He had to live with her, and she might get tempted to invite him to bed more often. If that happened, definitely she would also eventually be tempted to do things while in bed.

She made up her mind. If he came to her, she would accept him, but if he set up his temporary bed, she would accept that as his answer to what level of separation they should keep in their relationship.

When she heard the bathroom door squeak open, she looked over with a hitch to her breath. Edo-Natsu peeked around the edge of the door into the main room.

"Princess?" he asked quietly.

"Come here," she breathed nervously.

He walked in wearing only boxers. She realized she had also chosen to dress in a slim, almost transparent gown that barely reached her upper thighs. He gulped as he looked at her gown, but he still walked forward.

Lucy went to the bed and laid down on her side. "Turn off the light."

He obeyed, and the room went black. Still, he could see the bed amidst the moonlight. Slowly, like a rabbit approaching a wolf, Edo-Natsu went to the bed, turned down the blankets, and slipped into the sheets. Then he laid there stiffly, staring at her back, his throat dry from breathing so fast. He was about to ask what he should do, but Lucy scooted back into him, spooning into his body. She reached back, found his hand, and pulled it around her.

"Hold me until I fall asleep," she said quietly.

A plaintive smile melted over his face as he felt her body heat. His head rested near her hair, and he could smell her shampoo. His nose rubbed into her strands, nuzzling her, then dropped down to her neck. Hardly realizing it, he kissed the back of her shoulder.

Lucy knew she was blushing, so she did not dare turn around. Her fingers laced into his, and she squeezed his hand, hoping he would still be next to her when she woke up.

"Goodnight, Princess," he whispered.

She sighed happily and felt safe in his arms. "Sweet dreams, Fireball." She scooted a little closer against him, let out a contented sigh, and let herself drift away with happy emotions.

**End of Chapter 17**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _For the scene with Edo-Natsu asking Lucy for the...um... "favor," I actually acted out that scene while recording myself, ad-libbing to hear how he'd stutter, and what sort of replies Lucy would give. It was weird to listen to the recording and hear my voice change between Fireball and Lucy._
> 
> _**IMPORTANT EDITORIAL CHANGES**_
> 
> _An astute reader pointed out that I had Lucy's apartment completely wrong. I made her bedroom separated from the living room, whereas on closer inspection of the anime and manga, her house has only three rooms: kitchen, bathroom, and main room with the bed in that room. She also does not have a couch for Edo-Natsu to sleep on. Okay...my bad. I rewrote the chapters that involve her bedroom being separate from the living room (Chapters 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16... in other words, half the story. Took me a while!) I also took out the couch and gave Edo-Natsu a shikibuton: traditional Japanese floor mattress, very comfortable. I found Lucy's floor plans by Yaushie on DeviantArt, and used that as a reference._
> 
> _Did this correction change much? Not really. Edo-Natsu sleeps on the shikibuton at the foot of Lucy's bed, NOT on a couch in a separate room, so there were changes in actions, where scenes took place, some minor dialogue adjustments, but nothing that affects the main plot. Hopefully I found all references to their sleeping arrangements, because I didn't feel like rereading the whole story. I'm a notoriously slow reader, and editing takes time away from writing._
> 
> _Please inform me when I make errors. I'm never offended; I'm honestly relieved if someone points it out before I write 17 chapters worth of mistakes._


	18. Joyriding Through Fiore

Lucy woke up to heat. There was something hot at her back, and she felt pressure over her ribs. Then, in the midst of sleepiness, there was warm air on her neck. It tickled, and she giggled sleepily. Then she heard a low hum from a man. She jolted fully awake to see an arm draped over her, knees curled up against the back of her knees, and gentle breathing at her neck. She was in bed with someone. She glanced around and saw the pink hair.

_He's in my bed again, idiot!_

Fury spiked through her. How many times had she told Natsu not to sneak into her bed? How many times did she have to punish him for being so intrusive? She was ready to kick him out, when she paused. Her mind woke up a little more. Sleeping on his side, she saw the neck...with no scar.

_Edo-Natsu! I asked him to come to my bed. Oh God, last night! I...I did...that! Then he wanted to do more with me, but I told him to just hold me while I slept. I remember now._

She smiled and blushed. Her fingers went up to her lips, unable to believe that she had really done such an intimate thing. Still, it made her feel hot inside, and she almost wished she had boldly agreed to let him do more.

She wanted to run off to the bathroom, but that meant climbing over the sleeping boy. She could just imagine trying, then him waking up with her straddled over his hips, and he would open his eyes to see the wrong impression. Lucy had read enough manga to know the stereotypes and avoid them.

His eyes tensed up for a moment. She froze, worried he might wake up, unsure what she could say to him, how to act around him now that they had gone this far in their relationship. Sleeping together! No sex, granted, but...she had been tempted. Oh so tempted!

"Dun wanna go," Edo-Natsu mumbled in his sleep. "Stay...wiff Wucy."

Lucy laughed quietly at how childish he sounded. A tiny piece of her still worried if he meant her or Ashley. She would probably always fret about that, just as he would always wonder about her and Dragneel. It could not be helped.

He said two more words that Lucy could not really make out, although she thought they were "open road." Was he dreaming about the car? They were supposed to go driving that day. She wondered if he would be wild again. A part of her hoped so. Maybe if he was less timid, she could be, too.

Her hand drifted to his neck. When he was asleep, the similarities between him and Salamander were really unnerving, yet this neck told her the truth. This smooth, flawless neck!

He stirred at her touch, blinked in the sunlight coming from the window, and gazed up at her.

"Princess?" He sounded so groggy, as if not sure if she was a dream. Then his eyes widened, and he gasped in a moment of panic.

_I'm in her bed! How did I get into her bed?_

Slowly, the terror drifted, replaced by intense blushing. Lucy realized he must also be remembering last night and just how they wound up sleeping together.

"Sleep well?" she whispered, stroking his neck again.

"Mmh," he nodded, closing his eyes as he savored the feel of her gentle fingers. "You?"

"You're a quiet sleeper," she smiled.

"Well that's good," he laughed. "Gray Surge says I talk in my sleep."

She decided not to mention what she had heard. "Are you ready to drive later?"

His eyes widened in excitement. "You still wanna?"

"Of course. I've been looking forward to it all week."

"Good! Great! I wasn't sure...I mean, after last night..." He broke off his words and blushed brightly, looking away in a vain attempt to hide his happiness.

"Did you think I'd be angry at you?"

"I..." He stopped and lowered his eyes. "I was really hoping you wouldn't be." He shifted around in the blankets a little. "Can I...maybe...kiss you good morning?"

Lucy giggled softly. "Sure, you can do that."

His eyes brightened instantly. However, he looked a little hesitant. He could not remember ever kissing a girl who had just woken up.

No...there was that time with Levy, before Gajeel arrived. They had done a mission together, they could not afford a hotel, so they slept in the four-wheeler. They also had a little fun in the back. Just a little messing around, kissing and touching, nothing serious, merely two teens letting off some steam. When they woke up the next morning, he kissed her and, as a joke, told her that by the hallowed laws of race car drivers, this made them officially married. She punched him. Hard! She never rode alone in his car again.

He would not mind making that sort of joke with Lucy Heartfilia. If only it was a true law.

He pushed aside those memories. If he ever told Lucy about how much he actually _had_ done in his car, and with how many girls, she would probably hate him. It was never anything serious, never went too far, but he had a feeling that Lucy had not done much of anything. He liked that about her. She did not mess around with the feelings of her fellow guild members. She didn't even date them! There was something admirable about that sort of innocence.

He looked down at her, still lying on her pillow, her blonde hair scattered around her. She was watching him, waiting, with nervous anticipation tugging on her lower lip that she kept licking discreetly and pulling slightly into her mouth, worried about chapped lips. This innocent and slightly bashful Lucy was what he loved about her. She was not so different from himself. She was more like the sort of person he aspired to become, if only he could overcome his lack of self-confidence. She wasn't some bombastic or annoying person, just kind...loyal...sweet!

As he leaned over her, Lucy looked up at those dark sage-green eyes lowering with a longing that far exceeded what she knew he would show her. Part of her wished Edo-Natsu would want more, and part of her was glad he held himself back, because she certainly did _not_ trust her own ability to control herself.

His pink hair drifted down as he leaned in closer. The tips brushed over her face, tickling a little, and soon she could feel air coming from his nostrils. She held still, and her eyes began to lower as he drew so close, she could no longer see him clearly.

He watched her eyes close in anticipation. A quick lick to his lips to make sure they would be soft, and he bravely placed them against hers.

A good morning kiss!

He had no idea how long to hold it. As seconds ticked away, he just knew that he did not want to pull away. If he did, they would have to part. She would clean up, he would make breakfast, they would eat...

Ah, but then they would ride together!

So after a long and simple kiss, he leaned back up. Her cheeks were flushed, and with her messy just-woke-up hair, it was unendurably erotic. Not thinking, he leaned down again, kissing her harder. When he gave a small lick to her lips, hers remained firmly shut.

Oh...right. Morning breath. She was probably afraid of something like that.

"Sorry," he whispered as he pulled back. "Coffee or tea this morning?"

It took Lucy a moment to get her head out of the clouds. "Ah...um...coffee might be nice."

He nodded, pulled the covers away, and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. When he looked back around, he saw Lucy's tiny nightgown bunched up at her hips, showing the underwear she wore with it.

He _knew_ women did not wear underwear like that to bed, not unless they expected something more than sleeping. He began to worry now. Had she wanted more? Did he mess up by just holding her, not touching her more intimately? Yet he had offered, and she said she only wanted to cuddle. If that was true, why had she worn such sexy underwear to bed?

"Um...bathroom first," he decided, and he hurried away before Lucy saw his morning arousal.

* * *

Breakfast was thankfully without too much awkwardness. While Lucy showered, Edo-Natsu glanced at a map of Magnolia and the surrounding countryside. It was something he picked up on his test drive the night before, when he drove to a store for various supplies they might need: duct tape in case anything came loose, a solar powered flashlight since he could not use magic, some tools to fix a flat tire, and other items he had already stored in the car.

Finally, it was time to take a joyride. Lucy packed a basket of sandwiches and got a blanket for a picnic. Edo-Natsu had a route planned out with interesting places to visit that were accessible by car, but just a little too far out of the way for a trip by foot. As they loaded the car, he prattled on about the areas he picked. Lucy had heard about most of them: a waterfall a few kilometers out of town that was not near the train tracks and too far by foot, a winery estate that Cana had raved about for ages, and a winding road up the coast with lots of pullovers for picturesque views. Lucy giggled to herself as she saw his excitement, and she had to admit, she was also feeling giddy for this long drive around the countryside of Fiore.

Edo-Natsu opened the car door for her and dashingly let Lucy take her seat. She blushed at such gentlemanly manners. She sat in the passenger seat and buckled her seat belt while he hurried around the car. She saw Edo-Natsu take a deep, calming breath before opening his door and sitting down.

"Here we go," he said, his voice tense with anxiety. His hands shook as he turned the key, and the engine roared to life. Like a switch, all timidity vanished, his eyes narrowed slightly, and a smirk curled onto his mouth. He lowered the goggles over his eyes. He was truly Fireball Natsu once more.

"Hold on tight, babe," he warned slyly. "We're gonna fly now. _Go Fire!_ "

With squealing tires, he bolted down the street, and Lucy screamed as she clutched her seat belt. Edo-Natsu laughed wildly. Once her heart calmed down, Lucy glared over, ready to yell at him about driving safely. However, the childish joy in his face was too cute. She would scold him later. For now, she let him have a little fun. In no time, they were out of the city limits and on the open road.

"This is what I missed," he grinned. "The freedom of a car, the open road, simply cruising with no worries, no troubles, no people to beat me up or make fun or me. Just me and my car." He grinned over at Lucy. "Remember the first time we road together in Edolas?"

"I remember you kicked me out of your car rather rudely," she pointed out.

"Yeah...sorry about that," he laughed lightly. "I just didn't want to get my hands dirty in what you were planning. You gotta admit, attacking King Faust, overthrowing the government...it was insane! Still, cruising was fun, right? Haha...except Other-Me vomited in the backseat. Took me days to clean the stench out." He reached over and squeezed her hand. "Now I can really go cruising with you. I sort of wanted to back then, but there was that kid-version of Wendy, the Exceeds, and that vomiting flame-brain in the back. But you...you were hot!"

Lucy blushed and looked away. He was being a bit _too_ bold now.

"I thought so even back then. You weren't like my Lucy at all. I really wanted to cruise, just you and me. Still, I knew what you guys had planned. I thought you were going off to your deaths, so I didn't want to get close. That's why I was rude. Plus...I was different back then. The only thing I cared for was my car. The guild...it was a good excuse to drive at insane speeds. They paid for my lacrima fuel, and that was enough for me. I didn't hang out in the guild hall like the others. I just...cruised. I drove whenever I could. I wanted to run away from everything: from my fears, from my past, from any emotional attachments. Just keep driving down that road and escape it all. Yet, at the end of the day, I had to return, I had to get out, and all that crap came crashing back. The open road was the only thing I wanted, the only place where I could be me! Until now, Princess Lucy."

"I said don't call me that," she mumbled bashfully.

"The only place I want to be is near you, because even without a car, I feel bolder when you're with me. Having you here, having this car and you at my side..." He squeezed her fingers tighter. "This is a dream come true! I love you so much for giving me this chance."

"Oh Fireball," she sighed.

"If I wasn't driving, I'd kiss you," he declared. "But let's get going first. I'm gonna give you the ride of your life!"

She smirked seductively. "I look forward to it."

He laughed softly, then focused back onto the highway.

Their first trip was to the waterfall. The road to a deep gorge was narrow and curvy, built into the hills and following the meandering lines of nature. When they arrived, the falls was just beyond a short trail. The glint in his eyes changed only a little when he got out of the car and raced around to open the door for her. Edo-Natsu grabbed Lucy's hand and laughed playfully as he pulled her forward. She trotted after him, liking this sort of behavior much more.

Finally, the trail ended, and up ahead was a tower of water falling like liquid crystal. Lucy looked up at the falls and felt the cooling mist on her cheeks. All around, a gorge had been carved out over the eons, with rocks covered with spongy moss and plants striving to live in this misty realm of water and rock.

"It's breathtaking," she whispered.

Edo-Natsu pulled out a camera. "Picture, picture!" He looked at it a little bit, trying to remember what the sales clerk said when she explained how Earthland cameras worked. Then he raised the camera to Lucy. "Smile!"

Lucy grinned and held up a peace sign. The camera flashed, and Edo-Natsu looked proud of himself for pushing the right button. Lucy took the camera, and she in turn took a picture of Fireball by the falls. His grin was so broad, so relaxed. With no one else around but her, he had no reason to be timid.

"Together now!" He took the camera, held it out in front of him, and yanked Lucy right up against him until they were cheek to cheek. She blushed at the closeness, but managed to smile before the flash went off.

They stayed only a few minutes, enough to explore the area around the falls, but otherwise there was not much to do. Neither thought to pack a swimsuit to wade out into the splash pool, and they were both too reserved to dare skinny-dipping. As the wind picked up and the spray blew more, they returned to the car. Edo-Natsu's personality was already rather open, so Lucy hardly saw any change between the driver and the man outside of the car.

They traveled back down to the main highway and onto a straight stretch of road. Lucy wondered where that winery was. It wasn't quite noon yet, but the excitement of the drive meant she ate very little during breakfast. She was getting hungry.

"I'm gonna test her limits," Fireball suddenly warned. "Nothing I'll do is dangerous, although it might appear so. Just trust me, okay? I need to know what she can do."

" _She_ , huh?" Lucy smirked. "Why is it that men refer to their cars as female?"

"Because they're difficult to manage."

She humphed at that!

"You can't train them like a tanchimo or other racing animal. You care for them, spend all your money on them, they usually act up and never do what you want, but when car and driver work together in perfect unison...you can really make her purr!"

Lucy's cheeks went bright red at his explanation. Purr, huh? She had felt like purring last night. She wouldn't mind purring again!

As he pressed the gas pedal more and more, accelerating to racing speeds, he laughed lightly, as if driving so insanely fast was perfectly normal. "Having fun yet, Princess?"

She was! Even such an insane speed thrilled her and made her heart race. Faster and faster! The scenery around them blurred. Then she heard a noise in the engine.

"Three hundred and twenty kilometers per hour. Not bad." He began to take the speed back down.

"That's insane!" Lucy cried out. "Who the hell drives that fast?"

"You never know when you'll need to," he answered seriously. "I wouldn't push her past three hundred, though. She was really rattling. Now to see how she takes curves."

The road began to change. They were getting into some foothills, and the road became tortuous as it winded around steeper areas. Fireball took a curve in the road so hard, Lucy swore they went onto two wheels. She grabbed her seat belt to hang on, but Fireball still looked calm and focused. Driving this crazy did nothing to him. She got the sense that insane stunts like this really were an everyday thing for him. She wondered what sort of driving missions he used to do in Edolas. They were a dark guild, so surely they did missions...even if illegally.

She realized, they rarely talked about Edolas anymore. It used to be that speaking about the people back in his home was the only way to get the boy to talk. Now, it was more like both were carefully avoiding that subject. She did not want him to get homesick, and he probably did not want to feel the guilt that, deep in his heart, he had decided he wanted to stay in this dimension.

As Lucy sighed to herself, she took her eyes off his focused face and back onto the road. Just then, she saw a deer leap out onto the highway.

"Natsu, watch out!" she screamed.

"Shit!" he shouted.

His foot slammed hard on the breaks. Tires squealed, smoke burned, and Lucy was flung forward hard against the seat belt. At the last moment Fireball swerved to avoid the deer, then spun out. White-knuckled, he clutched the steering wheel, counter-spinning it as he clenched his teeth. At last, the car came to a stop, and the deer bounded away into the trees.

In the car, Edo-Natsu was panting from the adrenaline rush. His heart thumped painfully hard against the wall of his chest. He looked at where the deer had been standing. The car left black curls in the road from the spin-out, and now they were facing the wrong way.

"Breaks work," he muttered wryly. Slowly, his clenched fingers pried off the wheel. "Princess?" She was silent with her head resting against the side window. "Lucy!" he shouted urgently. He threw off his seat belt and crawled over to her seat. He felt her cheek and saw she was still breathing. "Lucy, are you okay?"

Slowly, her head raised up. "Well, that was an adventure," she whispered wearily.

His face still looked fretful. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine, Natsu. Maybe..." She pulled the seat belt away and rubbed her chest. "Maybe some bruising, but I'm not hurt bad. That was some good driving. I'm really glad you didn't hit the deer."

"An animal isn't worth your life," he said softly, still touching her. He felt her arms carefully, then felt her neck. He figured she must have whiplash, but she did not even flinch when he touched the muscles. "Slowly move your head around. Any pain?"

She obediently tilted her head from side to side, then front to back. "Ow! A little."

After something like that, she supposed she could have ended up badly injured. Without the seat belt, it was highly probable she would have been tossed through the windshield. She was glad he bolted those restraints down so well. Then she looked up at him. He had crawled over so quickly and straddled over her seat, his knees on either side of her, so he could be close enough to feel for injuries and look at her eyes for any signs of trauma. He was...practically on top of her. His hands were wrapped around her neck, and his face was...so...close.

"Natsu," she whispered.

He glanced down, seriously worried if she was hurt bad, but the flush to her cheeks spoke of something else. Only then did he realize what this looked like. If they had been outside of the car, he would have squeaked in terror, leaped away, covered his head, and begged for forgiveness. Now though, especially after such a scare...

He ran a finger over the diagonal friction burn from the seat belt, right over her chest. Lucy's breath caught softly, and her breasts pressed out a little, eager to be touched more. Then he leaned down and kissed that pink line to take away any pain, soft kisses from her shoulder down her upper chest, nibbling toward her breast. She moaned softly and closed her eyes as her body heated up from his tender sensuality.

"Lucy," he moaned into her skin. He raised his face back up, hovering close in front of her, staring at those soft pink lips. His eyes lowered, and slowly he began to lean in.

"Are you guys all right?"

Fireball pulled back quickly, and Lucy blushed crimson at being caught. He scrambled off of her and back to his own seat as another car pulled up and stopped. Two doors opened, and worried voices called out again. Lucy was stunned to see a familiar small man being chauffeured by a dashing dark-blond gentleman.

"Ichiya, Hibiki!"

"Lucy," the playboy cried out. Instantly, Hibiki was by her window. "Oh precious Lucy, are you all right? We can call in the _Christine_ and have you air-lifted to a hospital. Or I can tend to your wounds right here, healing you with my adoration."

She drew back with a sour face. "No, I'm...fine...really."

Ichiya came over and sniffed her, grossing Lucy out even more. "That perfume of youth is heavenly on you this morning and can shield from all harm." Then he smelled Edo-Natsu. "Your perfume is not of that fiery aroma of youthful passion. I smell no magic in you at all. Who are you, young man who looks like my Salamander friend?"

Hibiki only then realized someone else was in the car. "Natsu? I thought you get carsick."

"This is...um..." Lucy looked to Fireball, who was glaring at having been interrupted by two flirtatious men. "He's an alternate universe version of Natsu Dragneel. It's a long story. I'm caring for him while he's stuck here."

Ichiya trotted over to the driver's side door and sniffed Edo-Natsu some more. "Ahh, Master Bob mentioned Master Makarov's queries into inter-dimensional travel. Quite a different perfume exudes from you, boy. Not of fire, but of speed: youthful passion at its fastest and most furious."

Edo-Natsu warned darkly, "Get your fat nose outta my face, old man."

Ichiya looked heartbroken. "Old? I'm not old yet. I'm barely thirty-six. I still have a remnant of the perfume of youth in me."

"A deer ran out in front of us, but no one got hurt," Lucy assured them. "We really should get going. We have to be somewhere."

Hibiki reached around and touched the back of Lucy's neck. "Perhaps I should give you a massage. Surely, after such reckless driving, your neck must be in pain."

"Hey!" Edo-Natsu snapped possessively.

"It's a little sore," she admitted, "but I'll be fine. I'll get an ice pack when we get to the winery."

"Peacegardens Winery?" Hibiki asked in surprise. "We've just come from there. Master Bob sent us to pick up a shipment of their seasonal wine." Those seductive brown eyes looked from Lucy to the pink-haired driver. "Are you two on a date?"

"That is what I smell," Ichiya nodded seriously. "The perfume of love!"

Lucy looked even more flustered. "A d-d-date? No! No, of course not. It's not like that at all."

"I see." Hibiki grabbed Lucy's hand and kissed it. With a sensually low tone, he asked, "Would you like to make it one...with me?"

Before Lucy could get over her shock— _Did Hibiki really just ask me out?_ —the tires squealed, the car surged forward, and Edo-Natsu spun them around one-eighty to face the right way. Then he zoomed between the two Blue Pegasus wizards, barely missing them. As he passed, Edo-Natsu flicked his middle finger out the window.

"Idiot! You could have hit them," Lucy yelled.

"I had a five-centimeter clearance on either side," Edo-Natsu grumbled peevishly.

"Well, I don't have my seat belt on yet." She yanked the buckle around her. "That was way too reckless. I already have a sore neck. I don't need you whipping the car around like that."

He kept his speed up, clenching the wheel in anger. "Who were those two?"

"They're from Blue Pegasus, a magic guild in Earthland, Ichiya and Hibiki..."

"I know their names," Edo-Natsu shouted angrily. "Ichiya and Hibiki: the two most notorious gangsters in Edolas, the boss of Traia Underground and his blood-thirsty lieutenant. What are they to you? Friends? Allies of Fairy Tail?" His narrow eyes slid over. "Former lovers?"

"What!" she screamed.

"Lucy Ashley and Mister Hibiki in my world were...intimate."

"Oh, _hell_ no! He's a playboy, and I hate that sort."

"He definitely knows you well."

"The Trimens and my team once worked together on a big mission. Hibiki is...a friend, if even that. That's all."

"Then why did you lie to him?"

"Huh?"

"About us. Saying this isn't a date. Or do you not see this as a date? Am I really just some outsider you're forced to babysit? Are you doing this purely to humor me?"

"Natsu, no!" This side of him shocked her. He was possessive, jealous, angry, and Lucy had no clue how to deal with it. "I just...I panicked, okay. Their guild and ours have close ties. Ichiya will likely mention this to Master Bob, who is good friends with Master Makarov. Then everyone will know. I'm not sure I'm ready to let everyone know about us. They..." She turned away to look out the window. "They wouldn't understand," she mumbled.

They were tensely silent for a few minutes. Lucy looked out the window at the passing scenery, while Edo-Natsu raced down the highway with a grim tightness to his jaws. Slowly, the death-grip he had on the steering wheel loosened, and he took the speed back down to a gentle cruising.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "It's just...seeing those two again..." He sneered a little in anger. "Fairy Tail was betrayed by the Traia Underground. We used to work with them. Lucy and Mister Hibiki...like I said, they were close. She had given him some of Levy's guns as thanks for financially bailing out the guild. She didn't know he was Mafia. They caused a massacre. Fairy Tail was partly blamed for arming the Underground. Lucy went after Hibiki, just to yell at him and maybe punch him a couple times, but...well, no one hits a Mafia boss's second-in-command and just walks away. Hibiki...he... _hurt_ Lucy. Badly. I had driven her that day. I realized something was wrong, and I crashed my car through the building to break in there. Somehow, I managed to rescue her, but...not before...his men had..." Edo-Natsu shook his head, close to tears.

Lucy reached over and patted his leg. "I can't imagine Hibiki harming any woman."

"Yeah, well, it seems some things in this dimension are a lot better than my own." He moved past the dark memory. "I guess I shouldn't have done that to those two. They were worried about you. They seem...nice," he grudgingly admitted.

"I wouldn't want to spend too long around either one," she admitted, "but Hibiki is nice when he finally stops flirting. He's reliable, at least."

Edo-Natsu said nothing more. He had almost ruined this whole day, first with recklessness, then with jealousy. He sincerely hoped he could recover a little of the romance during their picnic at the winery.

**End of Chapter 18**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Fireball's explanation on why cars are referred to as female (at least in English) was taken verbatim from my husband, a car enthusiast. I was stuck on that line, so I asked him "Why is a car a SHE?" He immediately said, "Because they're difficult to manage." I scowled at him, then realized that would be Lucy's reaction._
> 
> _I've already gotten 3 people asking about Nichiya being Edo-Ichiya. I stated in Chapter 1 (waaaaay back) that in my imagination, Nichiya was just a lookalike, NOT Edo-Ichiya. This is based on the fact that we have seen no other examples of Human/Exceed lookalikes. Otherwise, somewhere in Earthland is a Human version of Happy saying AYE SIR all the time, except since he's opposite, he'd be grumpy. Grumpy Cat!_ ^_^


	19. Peaceful Sceneries

Peacegardens Winery was one of the oldest vineyards in Fiore. Located in rolling foothills, it made a perfect location for wine enthusiasts, with high south-facing slopes in a sun-drenched region. The family's passion for grapes, and their long tradition of winemaking stretching back many generations, was apparent in the estate grounds. It was not just about grapes and good dirt here. It was about tradition, elegance, quality, refinement, and the romance of the vine.

Villa Fiore, the main building, was hardly a farmhouse. Although only two stories tall, it spread out with wide wings, decorated with tall, gleaming white columns and marble arches. Wide windows allowed the sunlight to enter the posh interior where customers could sip their various wines. The small mansion had been built during a glorious age in their country, and the detailed frescoes reflected that sophisticated period in history.

As the name _Villa Fiore_ suggested, it was a house where flowers reigned, and as the name _Peacegardens_ hinted, the owners prided themselves on their landscaping almost as much as their ability to grow grapes. The splaying park surrounding the main building was almost more famous than the wines that made their fortune. Rows of spire-like cypress trees stood like sentinels along the road leading up the hill to the top of the villa. A drooping willow, blooming redbuds, and a flowering white magnolia tree provided colorful shade for visitors. Tulips in various hues, daffodils, roses, pansies, and hundreds of other flowers made stripes of color, which from the cobbled pathways were simply cute, yet a person dining on the top terrace of the villa saw the artistic designs crafted out of flowers, accentuated with a crystal clear water fountain and a statue in the center of—oddly enough—Aquarius and her jar pouring water out into the stone pool. A stream ran through the park-like garden, with petite footbridges lined with metal scrollwork handrails. The stream ended in a small waterfall and lotus pool, where herons majestically stood with their feet in the cool waters.

When Edo-Natsu drove up the driveway to the mansion, he let out a low whistle. He knew this was a famous winery with nice gardens that Cana had said would be perfect for a picnic, but he never imagined something quite so refined. He was truly out of his league here. Still, he had taken into account that Lucy Heartfilia was raised as an heiress to a fortune. He wanted to do at least one thing today to show her that a simple race car driver like him could be worthy of a refined lady like her. Now he wondered if this would only show just how little he knew about the finer things in life.

He pulled up to the front entrance of the villa, and a smartly dressed valet hurried forward. Edo-Natsu panicked a little when he realized this man wanted to park the car. Luckily, Lucy came to the rescue.

"Ah, careful with it. It's a prototype. No SE-Plug. Natsu, why don't you show him how it works?"

He swiftly explained that the key started and stopped the engine rather than some strap-on plug. The valet looked fascinated by the car's design, and his level of training was proven when he managed to smoothly drive the car off to be parked discreetly out of sight. Edo-Natsu started going up the steps to the villa when he jolted to a stop.

"Crap! I forgot the picnic basket," he cried out, mentally cursing himself for already messing up.

"Actually, if it's not too much of a bother, I'd sort of like to sit on the terrace," she smiled. "I've heard so much about this place, I want to at least try a sandwich and some wine."

Edo-Natsu wondered if she really did want that, or if she was only saying that to ease his anxiety. Silently berating himself, he followed her up the steps. A servant opened the doors to the villa for them, allowing them to enter a cool room of dark wood and plush carpeting. A tuxedo-wearing employee quickly offered them his services, and Lucy requested lunch with a view. They were taken up a broad staircase to the second floor, then led out to the opened terrace. Quaint tables were set up, with over-sized umbrellas to shade diners.

There were only three other couples around: an elderly husband and wife enjoying the wine, two female friends in soft but animate conversation over lunch, and a young couple insanely in love, staring at one another so intensely, Lucy could almost see the bursting heart bubbles around them. They were led to the corner of the terrace, away from the rest, with a clear view of the small waterfall. Edo-Natsu hurriedly pulled the chair out for Lucy before the waiter had a chance to get it, then he sat in his own chair with a small sigh of relief. Maybe he could recover this date after all.

"Would you like to start with an appetizer?" the man asked.

"A lunch menu, and the sommelier," Lucy requested. The waiter bowed and trotted off.

Edo-Natsu leaned in closer and whispered, "What's a sommelier?"

"A wine expert," she explained.

"I know absolutely nothing about wine," he warned. "Except that I like the sweet stuff."

She tittered softly. "I'll order a sweet wine, then."

Lucy felt utterly underdressed for such a place, and Edo-Natsu stood out with his flame-print red shirt and his goggles on his head. Still, Lucy knew a thing of two about wine, having grown up as an aristocrat. When she ordered, she did so with such authority that the sommelier lost his haughty attitude and bowed before her, instinctively sensing refinement in her demeanor. Sandwiches and a cheese platter were brought out, and they shared a bottle of sweet icewine. Lucy ate while staring out at the commanding view of the gardens.

"It reminds me of home in a way," she sighed as she nibbled a club sandwich.

Fireball looked up with interest. "Tell me about your home."

She gave a small shrug. "It was big. Too big, I think. I remember my friends thought it was a whole village, since we kept the staff on the grounds in their own homes. We had wonderful people working for us. My father wanted nothing to do with me, and there was no one else around, so I made friends with the staff. They were more like a family than my own father. I played in the gardens, and I pretty much had free reign of the estate. When my mother was alive, she would host parties with wine and cheese and cute little sandwiches, just like this. I could only have juice, of course. I always overate on the cheese and never saved room for the cake that was always brought out at the end of the day."

"It sounds like a wonderful life," he sighed. "Do you miss it?"

"I miss not worrying about money and rent," she admitted. "But now I have friends. I can go on adventures, have fun, go wild. I get to meet new people and see new things. I didn't have those sorts of opportunities when I was growing up."

"How about we finish the wine and go on more adventures?" he smiled. "Unless you want to stay and dream of lost riches."

She drank down the rest of her wineglass. "You've only had one glass, though."

"I'm driving. I won't get behind the wheel if I'm buzzed on alcohol. One drink is my limit."

"That's very responsible of you," she smiled proudly. "How about we buy a few bottles of this and take it home? We can enjoy it more when we don't have to go out."

He looked a little embarrassed. "I...don't have enough money. In fact, I'm not sure if I can afford this meal. I was planning on a picnic, not an actual restaurant."

"My treat, my treat," she insisted, waving it off blithely. "My way of paying you back for chauffeuring me around today." Lucy raised a finger, and the attentive waiter was at their table in an instant. "A case of this icewine. Can you have it placed in the car for us? We'd like to explore the grounds. We'll pay the full balance downstairs before leaving."

Her orders were so clear and exact, he rushed to obey. Lucy stood and waved Edo-Natsu to come with her.

"We...we don't pay now?" he asked uncertainly, raising but looking at the empty plates.

"They won't hand over the car until we pay. The only way we'd dine-and-ditch is by walking away on foot. You wouldn't do that, would you?"

"Hell no!" he said, raising his voice a little before realizing he should be quiet around the other guests. "So...you wanna walk around?"

"That's the point in coming here, right?" she grinned. "It was a really good idea."

He beamed happily. She liked it! She was having a good time! He could have danced right there on the terrace. Instead, he hurried after Lucy, wrapped his arm around hers, and escorted her like a gentleman. He liked seeing how these little acts of chivalry made her blush.

They strolled arm-in-arm around the gardens. Sometimes Lucy stopped to smell a flower. She froze and pointed as one of the herons took off with majestic flaps of its broad wings. They crossed the little stream, but Edo-Natsu paused in the middle of the footbridge. He moved to be in front of Lucy and looked down at her with serious eyes that made her heart skip.

"I'm gonna kiss you," he warned, shivering slightly in nervousness.

A kiss in public! He knew that the people on the terrace could see them, but no one else was around. Still, it was a bold thing to do, and he felt panicked. Despite that nervous feeling, he really, _really_ wanted to share a kiss with her in this little slice of heaven.

He reached forward, caressed her cheek to gently turn it up to him, and leaned in. Lucy watched as his eyes lowered, looking so dark, so sensual, she had to close her eyes before she became trapped in his gaze. His lips were tender against hers, just a chaste kiss, although he let it linger for half a minute. When he pulled back, his face looked so different, not scared anymore. He was relaxed, knowing she was there with him.

Softly, he declared, "You are the most precious thing in my life right now."

She blushed yet smirked playfully. "More than the car?"

Edo-Natsu laughed and tucked his head aside with cute bashfulness. "Yeah, more than the car." He grabbed both of her hands and held her there, standing on that bridge with the water under them, flowers around them, and the rolling hills wrapping them into their own little world. "I want to make you happy, Lucy."

She began to get nervous. "W-what do you mean?"

"Anything you want, anywhere you want to go..." He leaned in and whispered into her ear. "...any way I can please you."

Her face went instantly red.

"I love you so much, Lucy Heartfilia." He let go of her hands and hugged her into a squeezing embrace, resting his chin on the top of her head. "In any way I can, I want to protect you. That near-accident this morning..." She felt him shiver, and his arms tightened more around her. "It scared the crap out of me, thinking you might have been hurt. You're too precious to me." He kissed her forehead, then gazed into her eyes. They stared up at him with astonishment and silent happiness. "I'm the luckiest man in the world—no, in _two_ worlds—to have you as my girlfriend." He gave her another kiss, just a brief one on the lips, before dropping his hands. "How would you like to keep riding with me?"

She nodded numbly. No man had ever declared his love in such a passionate and romantic way. She barely felt her feet as he took her arm and guided her back to the villa. She realized this must be what people meant when they said love could put them on Cloud Nine.

As they approached the villa, she saw the valet run off to go fetch the car. The staff was waiting for them. Lucy secretively leaned over to Edo-Natsu.

"Pretend like you're going to pay," she whispered

He looked down in confusion. "I told you, I don't have money."

"I know, but you probably want to save face, right? You don't want them to know you're broke. So pretend like you're going to pay, and I'll cover it instead. Follow my lead."

With perfect confidence, Lucy strolled up to the villa doors and entered the entryway again. A staff member was there with the check ready for them. Edo-Natsu grabbed the bill, but before he could see how much it was, Lucy snatched it out of his hand.

"It's just a little lunch, dear. I can cover this much." She smiled playfully, acting for the staff, yet as Lucy looked down at the bill, her eyes flinched. Edo-Natsu saw her skin blanch slightly, although her smile never wavered. She grinned at the cashier. "Um...how many bottles are in a case?"

"Twelve, madame," the man answered. "Did you want more?"

" _No_..." Her voice nearly squeaked, but she regained control quickly. "No, twelve should be fine. If we need more later, it simply gives us an excuse for another excursion. Isn't that right, dear?" she asked sweetly.

Fireball easily saw her tense muscles, but only because he was used to her now. "Of course. Are you sure you'll cover it? You're making me look bad here."

"Oh please! This much, I can handle just fine." She laughed lightly, but he saw the tightness in her hands crushing the check. "Be a sweetie and get the car. I'll be right out."

Edo-Natsu left the villa and trotted down the steps feelings depressed again. Although it had been Lucy's idea to dine here instead of a picnic, still...he would have to figure out a way to make money in this world so he could take her on a proper date. He felt a gentleman should pay for the meal. That was what the protagonists in Gildarts Nash's romance novels always did. His troubled thoughts about finances were interrupted when the valet brought the car around and tossed Edo-Natsu the keys.

"That is one fine vehicle you've got there, sir," the valet praised. "She drives smooth as silk and quiet as a sleeping kitten. I've never seen anything like her. I have an uncle in the car business who would pay half a fortune to know how you made a car with no SE-Plug."

"My own secret," Fireball grinned, feeling his ego boosted by the praise.

Lucy came out, and this time the valet got her door, then waved cheerfully as they drove down the cobbled road.

"So, how much was it?" he asked curiously.

Lucy glared slightly. "You don't want to know! Seriously, a sandwich is not worth the same price as a bottle of wine. And...twelve bottles! Of dessert wine, no less! I don't drink that much wine. Maybe I can sell some to Mira and Cana."

"Sorry..."

"No, it's not your fault. You wanted a picnic, and I was the one who wanted to try the food. I should have known, when a restaurant doesn't put the price of the meals on their menus, it means their clients are the sort who don't have to ask such questions." She gave a soft sigh and rested her head against the cool window. "The case of wine alone cost more than my monthly rent. I'll need to go on another mission. That wiped out my savings."

"I can drive you this time," he grinned.

She chuckled. "That'd save on train tickets."

She blushed as she thought how nice it might be to go on a mission with Edo-Natsu, maybe a mission that involved driving, like delivering packages or escorting some dignitary. Even if he had no magic, he had the unique ability to drive a magical car. Just like Mystogan with his magic staffs, even someone from Edolas could be useful to Fairy Tail.

They drove away from the idyllic vineyard, and Edo-Natsu followed the highway for an hour. Lucy eventually dozed off. She hated to admit that she probably should not have had three glasses of wine, and the monotony of the road made her drift right off to sleep.

When she woke up, they were on the coast. The road was carved into a cliffside, twisting along the shore, with a steep drop from the cliff to the rocky bottom, where the incessant waves slowly etched away at the rocks. As Lucy gazed out, she saw the sparkling blue expanse, stretching on forever and disappearing in a silver haze on the horizon. The sun was beginning to slip down.

"This late already," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"I didn't want to wake you up," Edo-Natsu said. "You looked like you were having good dreams."

She hummed. "I don't remember anything."

"Are you hungry? We still have the picnic food."

"Not yet. It's in a cooler, so it should be fine."

As they drove on, Lucy delved into her own thoughts. She had never simply cruised along the coast like this. Whenever she traveled with her team, either she or Erza had to deal with Natsu's motion sickness. Any trip by transportation was accompanied by the dragon slayer's groans and vomiting.

She realized she had not really been missing her own Natsu lately. She had been so caught up with working on the car and going on little dates with Fireball that she stopped fretting. Salamander would be fine. Even if there was a danger of him running out of magic, he was Natsu! He was also with their Edolas friends, so they would protect him. Makarov would find a way to get him back. Then...

Then what? Would life go back to normal?

No, it probably would never return to how it used to be. If Fireball could stay, then she would have to deal with two Natsus. If he had to leave, she would be immensely depressed, finding love only to have him taken away. Deep down inside, her fear was that she might blame Salamander for making Fireball leave this world he had come to love. Either way, if Fireball could stay or if he had to leave, things would definitely be awkward with the dragon slayer.

She heard humming, and Lucy looked over to the driver in surprise. Natsu Dragneel rarely sang, yet she had heard Fireball singing many times over the past few weeks.

"What is that song?" she asked, mesmerized by the clarity of his tone, even with just humming. "I've heard you sing it before."

"Something Igneel used to sing to me," he smiled nostalgically. " _Drive Me Down That Sunset Road_. When I was little and couldn't sleep, he'd put me in his car and just cruise down a straight road, singing this song. I always fell asleep, and then he'd carry me to bed."

"That's so sweet," she sighed. "Do you mind me asking, what happened to Igneel? Why don't you live with him anymore?"

He gave a slight shrug. "I ran away."

Lucy's eyes widened in shock. "You...you ran away from home?"

"It wasn't a home," he mumbled.

"But Gemini said your father abandoned you."

"He did. Dad and I never stayed in one place. We lived out of abandoned farmhouses, caves, sometimes he splurged and got some roadside inn, mostly when he wanted to leave me somewhere to go race. He...had troubles." Edo-Natsu frowned, thinking back to some dark moment of his past. "He was a good driver, but he was bad with people. If he didn't like someone..." Edo-Natsu cut off his words with a flinch. "He...he killed someone. Ran the person off the road. On purpose!" His voice faded once more. "It was Lucy Ashley's dad. My dad...killed him. I mean, I didn't know Lucy back then, never met her until she joined Fairy Tail. She hated her dad anyway, so she doesn't blame me. She...thinks it's funny," he admitted with a distasteful grimace. "Jude Ashley was a yakuza oyabun. The Ashley Family went after Igneel and me. Their thugs waited in the hotel room with me tied up, planning to ambush him and use me as a hostage. When Igneel came back and saw the situation, he made a run for it. Just jumped in his car and took off as fast as he could."

"He left you?" she asked in horror.

Edo-Natsu nodded grimly. "They chased after him. I escaped in the chaos, but...I didn't go back," he said grimly. "I was sick of it, living that sort of life. I hot-wired a car and took off until I crashed into the Fairy Tail building. They made me work to repay the damages, and I just stayed. Suddenly, I had a real home."

"Wait, you stole a car?" she shouted.

"I was only, like, ten years old. I didn't know it was wrong. It was something my dad did, so I thought it was fine. _Finders keepers_ , he used to say. I know better now, of course! Sometimes I want to find Igneel again...purely to punch his face!" he sneered. "What sort of father leaves his son to a bunch of yakuza to save his own skin? And that was only the last trouble between us. I couldn't count how many times he left me somewhere and took off for days, leaving me no money for food, only to come back drunk, bloody, with his car banged up. Or how many nights he'd grab me out of my bed and make a run for the car with people shooting at us. I vaguely remember one time, I must have been only four years old, he used me as a goddamn human shield, so the royal army wouldn't shoot him and risk hitting a little kid. _Who the hell does that?_ " he shouted in anger.

Lucy's mouth was left dropped open. She knew there were huge differences between the two pink-haired boys, but she did not realize just how drastic their pasts could be. "I'm surprised you still wear his goggles," she admitted, suddenly hating a man she had never met.

Edo-Natsu tried to calm himself. "I wear them because I respect him, even now. I mean, he was a good driver, the best in Edolas, and he taught me a lot about cars and mechanics, but as a father...as a person..." He merely shook his head, not willing to actually curse his own parent. "I respect the driver he was, not the father he failed to be. Still, that song is one of the few good memories I have. Igneel might have hated people and had a violent streak, but with me, when it was just the two of us..." He smiled, his mood lightened by fond memories. "He was an awesome guy. He was funny, smart, playful...he was practically just a kid himself, so time with just the two of us was awesome, lots of fun. It was just those other moments, when he was around other people, that's when his bad side came out. I hope that someday he changes."

Then, as if to dispel all the grief that marred his past, Edo-Natsu began to sing.

 _Drive me down that sunset road,_  
Down that road that leads to home.  
Drive me fast, don't drive me slow.  
Drive me where you wish to roam.

 _Drive me fast, don't drive me slow._  
Let me reach my love real soon.  
Drive me down that sunset road  
To see my love by the moon.

 _I want to see her pale skin,_  
Kiss her hair like burnished gold.  
She's waiting for my return,  
So drive me down that old road.

 _Drive me fast, don't drive me slow._  
Speed on, sir, I can't be late.  
Push this car fast as it'll go.  
I have an important date.

 _Drive me down that sunset road._  
Sun slips down, the shadows grow.  
I promised her I wouldn't go,  
So drive me down that sunset road.

Lucy sighed happily as she listened. This sunset road they were on now made that song so much sweeter.

"I promised her I wouldn't go." Edo-Natsu looked over to Lucy. "I can't make that promise, but...I hope the road in my life really does run parallel to yours. I want to _drive down this road_ a little longer."

She reached over and covered those fingers gripping the steering wheel. He let go for only a minute, squeezing her fingers, before returning to a safe driving hold and focusing back on the highway. Lucy sighed and slipped back into her inner thoughts.

What was this romance between them? Foolishness? Desperation? A fantasy and nothing more? Or was it a _road that leads to home_? Where did Natsu Dragion belong? Which dimension was his destined home?

Suddenly, the car swerved to the side. Lucy screamed. Was it another animal? Just as she feared he would drive over the cliff, he slammed on the breaks and came to a stop on a pullover strip overlooking the sea.

"Look at that, Lucy!" he cried out in childish fascination.

The simple joy in his eyes was enough to make her forgive his insane antics...much like someone else she knew who had no clue when he was being reckless! Then she looked out at the landscape. The sun was sinking under the waves, turning the ocean into a royal shade of purple. The sky was like fire, and the clouds burned like little dragons in the air.

"Oh Natsu, it's beautiful," she whispered in awe.

Edo-Natsu looked over to her and smiled. "Yeah...beautiful."

He suddenly realized, she was using his name a lot more freely today, and it subconsciously helped him to relax. He gently stroked her cheek. Lucy gasped and pulled back. The darkly seductive look in his eyes was something she rarely saw: never with Salamander and only briefly with Fireball. It made her heart race and her lower stomach coil.

He saw her scared expression and withdrew his hand. "Sorry. Guess I'm being a bit too bold." He faced back out to the sunset and let out a long sigh, trying to put a break to the desire revving up inside of him, feelings that had been simmering and building since he first arrived. Now, with the freedom of this car, he felt like he could finally act on them. However, he knew that was unfair to Lucy.

She bit her lip and considered what she saw in his eyes. The warnings from the Cana and Levy came back into her mind. He might be leaving soon. Yet she really did not want him to go back to Edolas. She liked staying with him, laughing with him, and living together. She liked his cooking and how cleanly he was. She liked both his timid side and the wild streak within him. He was adventurous, romantic, funny...everything she ever wanted in a man.

Now she felt like the timid one. Slowly, she reached to the side and took his hand. Edo-Natsu looked over quickly at the touch and saw her face, half-worried, half-pleading not to turn her down. He could hardly help but smirk at this type of Lucy, someone bashful, not at all like Lucy Ashley. He squeezed her fingers, and slowly she leaned into his shoulder. They watched the sun sinking behind the waves and the sky slowly darkening.

"This has been a really romantic day," she admitted, feeling a tremble through her chilled body. "A little crazy and adventurous sometimes, but...I kind of like that, too. I'm glad you took me out here."

He smiled over at her. "I couldn't have done it without you, Lucy. This car, this opportunity to drive again! You've given me a new chance at life."

She looked over in surprise, but his face was mere centimeters from hers. She looked away as the narrowing space between them seemed to heat up and make her face hot. Edo-Natsu forced his eyes off of her, scolding himself for how he felt right now. He sincerely hoped she did not glance down and notice that he had already become painfully aroused.

"We'll need to head back," he said softly as the sun vanished. "We're almost halfway down on fuel, and I have no clue where you can buy liquid lacrima in this world."

"Most stores would be closed by now." She leaned a little more into him and looked up into his face. "So why don't we stay here...for the night."

He looked over in surprise and saw her give a naughty smile. It made his heart pound like pistons in an engine.

They leaned over at the same time, both needing another kiss to make this day truly perfect. Unable to control himself, Edo-Natsu's fingers tightened around her hair and yanked her closer, thrusting his tongue in, much to Lucy's surprise. She did not fight him, though. Unlike the chaste kiss in the vineyard gardens, this kiss was aggressive, thrilling, everything she could ever want, and what she had been secretly craving all day. Her hand reached out into Edo-Natsu's hair, brushing through the spiky pink strands, tickling the back of his ear with her nails. That made him moan lightly, and hearing that sensual sound made her whole body warm up.

"You said a car's like a woman, right?" she asked between hot, panting breaths.

"Mm-hmm," he hummed in answer, nibbling down her neck.

Her head tipped to the side to give him access. She hissed as she felt him sucking on her skin, leaving little marks. "And...when car and driver work in unison...she purrs?"

"Mmmm..." he moaned softly, loving the smell of her perfume and the taste of her skin.

Lucy pulled back and looked intensely into his eyes. She took both of his cheeks in her hands as she gazed down upon him. "I want you to make me purr!"

She crawled forward, ready to tackle him. Her knee hit a gear, and the car began to roll forward. Edo-Natsu reached blindly, cranked the emergency break so they would not roll off the cliff, then shut off the engine to save on fuel. Once that was settled, he slid back a little in the seat, letting Lucy climb on top of him, and gave a soft growl as she brushed against his groin.

"I'll rev your engine, Lucy!" he snarled hungrily.

Around them, the sun vanished, the shadows grew, the glowing dragons in the clouds faded to dark curls like rubber tire tracks in the sky, and night covered over them like a garage shutting on a car.

**End of Chapter 19**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Can a case of wine cost more than a month's rent? Easily! A 12-bottle case of Summerhill Pyramid Winery 2007 Pinot Noir Icewine costs $780 USD, the exact same amount as rent for my apartment. A case of their 2006 Zweigelt Icewine will cost you $1,776. Why did I pick icewine? It's my dad's favorite and very sweet, almost like syrup._
> 
> _To write the description of the winery, I read through many wine brochures to get the "feel" of how wineries are described. I live near a famous wine-growing countryside, so there are lots of magazines about them. Peacegardens Winery is based on the Ferrari-Carrano Winery, one of my favorite Napa Valley wines. I even included the estate's main building, Villa Fiore. The name fit too perfectly with the Fairy Tail universe._
> 
> _"Drive Me Down That Sunset Road" are my own lyrics. I stated this earlier, but I'm just reiterating since I've gotten in trouble for song lyrics before. I have a video of me singing that song, for all the people who have been asking me how it goes. I love that people are interested in my songs...even if my voice is not the best.[youtu.be/y6EQ497HzAY](http://youtu.be/y6EQ497HzAY)_


	20. By the Dashboard Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Kudos to anyone who can tell me where I got the title of this chapter without using Google._   
>  _The following chapter is Rated M._

The car rocked with movement. Moans came from inside and echoed around the seaside cliff.

"Natsu," Lucy cried in a drawn out mewl.

"Lucy," came a thick and heavy voice. "You look so beautiful in the moonlight."

"More. Touch me more...inside."

"Like...this?"

The shuddering howl could be heard throughout the ocean cliffs.

The confined space of the car amplified every sound. Their voices, although hushed, boomed over glass and metal. The small hums as Edo-Natsu sucked on her neck and licked her collar reverberated through paneling and leather. Whimpers and cries of shock from Lucy as his fingers sought her out were almost deafening.

"No...I can't...anymore..."

"Just a little more, Princess. You're almost there. Let it go."

Lucy had never let anyone bring her to an orgasm. It was an embarrassing thought, to lose control and have someone watch. However, in the arms of this insane race car driver, she felt like she could turn into that howling animal of lust, and he would protect her, shield her, hold her, and love her despite her voracious side. She was caged here in his car, so it was fine to go wild.

He watched her face with fascination, and the three fingers inside her felt the powerful clenching. She truly was like a goddess! As she slowly relaxed, he hugged her and pulled her down to lie on top of him in the backseat, squeezing her and whispering, "I'm proud of you, Princess. You really liked that, didn't you? I want to make you happy. Tell me how. Anything you want, any way I can please you, just let me know. I love you...so much." Then he placed a kiss on her forehead.

Lucy panted heavily, flushed and fulfilled. However, now that she managed to get over that initial fear, she felt a whole new level of boldness. She flipped her long hair and stared down at him lying prone, here inside her _cage_ , with only the stars and dashboard lights to shine on his pink hair. Her dangling locks made a golden frame around his flushed face. Without his clothes, Edo-Natsu was definitely different. Their faces might be alike, but Fireball lacked the bulging muscles and scars of Salamander. Instead, his muscles were small yet taut, sinewy rather than hulking. Still, she thought he was a stunningly handsome man. And _God_ could he kiss!

Slowly, smirking as she tried to look seductive, Lucy slid down his body to the black boxers with red and yellow flames. Her fingers hooked around the elastic and began to slide it down.

"Lucy," he said in a warning, although his face had an amused smile. They had gone this far once before, but he honestly had not thought they would be in this situation again so soon.

He watched her, raised halfway on his elbows, definitely cramped on the narrow backseat, but right then, this was better than the grandest love hotel. She slid between his knees, managed to find a bit of room in the floor space to fold her legs, then she glanced up at him. His eyes gleamed like gems in the moonlight. She leaned forward, grasped his arousal, and held it as her mouth went around him.

Edo-Natsu hissed in pleasure. Her mouth burned hotter than wheels after a drag race. He could hardly hold back the deep moans as she sucked and stroked him. Lucy was acting wild, and he realized how much he liked having a strong woman dominate him. Besides, he wanted her in control of a situation like this. He wanted her to call the shots, tell him what she needed. That way he did not accidentally do something she disliked, or something that was more than what she wanted.

At that moment, what she wanted was apparently to suck him off. He suddenly put his hand in her hair and gently pulled her back.

"Don't rev me up too fast, babe," he chuckled.

She purposely wiped her chin, and he watched her seductive gaze with awe. The sultry look on her face made him realize that she wanted a lot more than he figured. A chill of nervousness ran down him, while the fire of lust deep within burned hotter.

"How far do you want to take this?" she asked.

Edo-Natsu blinked in surprise, then chuckled. "That's my line! You tell me. I just want to please you, no matter how much you want."

She laid herself over his entire body, smothering him down into the seat. "Even if I want _everything_ from you?" Her lower stomach rubbed against his erection.

He moaned softly, and the sound boomed inside that car. "Even... _mmmmh_...even that. However far you want to go." He suddenly grabbed her arms to stop her gyrations. "Do you really want to make love, Lucy?" His heart pounded painfully in anticipation.

"M-maybe," she mumbled. "Would you want that?"

A crafty smile tweaked his lips. "Do you really need ask?" He thrust slowly against her, until he felt just the outside of the moist slit.

Lucy wondered...did she really want to go this far with Edo-Natsu? He could leave her! It wasn't like she was saving herself for marriage or any outdated idealistic thing like that, but still! What if they went this far, and tomorrow Makarov declared that King Jellal found Natsu in Edolas, and the only way to get him back was to send Edo-Natsu home? No! She liked Salamander, she missed his crazily destructive antics, she wanted him back, but she refused to give up Edo-Natsu. She wanted him with her forever...

And that was when she realized, she really did want this sort of relationship with him: the closest relationship possible.

She pulled back and sat on her heels, right between his legs. She looked around at the car, the darkness outside the windows, the empty road that had not yet seen a single car or cart since they arrived, and the silvery glow of ocean waves sparkling with moonlight.

"I guess there's one problem," she said with a blush on her cheeks.

Edo-Natsu looked concerned. A problem? Was it with him? Was something wrong? Did he not meet her expectations? He wanted to protest, but then a thought entered his mind, a dreading worry. Was the problem because it was _him_ and not her own Natsu? He thought they had cleared up that problem last night.

Lucy's face turned a darker shade. "We don't have...you know," she mumbled. "A...c-condom."

Relief sank his heart out of his throat and back down into his chest as his whole body loosened. He could hardly help but chuckle that she looked so cutely ashamed to say that word.

"Honestly..." He reached over to the driver's seat, dug into a pocket in the back of the chair, and pulled out a little square package. "Part of the _supplies_ I bought last night. Always good to be ready, although I was being a bit optimistic when I bought it. I honestly didn't think I'd be so lucky." He looked aside, and this time it was his turn to blush pink. "I'll apologize now. I...well...it might not be as good as you're used to."

"Because of the car?" she asked. "I don't mind being cramped like this. It's...sort of erotic," she admitted.

"Well, also...it's...my...ummm...m-my...first time." Now he thought he understood just how much courage it took Lucy to ask for the condom. Admitting he was a virgin was surprisingly difficult in a situation like this. "I mean, I've done...stuff...and it's okay if we just do stuff and not...not everything. That's totally fine if that's what you want. But I...I never...went...all the way."

Lucy smiled and stroked his face. Timid Natsu was back, and in the environment of the car, it was a shocking and incredibly adorable sight to behold. "You're cute when you blush. You don't have to feel any pressure, because it's my first time, too."

His lips twisted into a tiny pout. "No, I think that just doubled the pressure of wanting to make this perfect for you," he admitted.

She caressed his cheek and felt the heat just under the skin. "Don't make it perfect," she whispered. "Just make it fun. I want to enjoy it, and I want this to be with you. Crazy Fireball!" She snatched the square package out of his fingers and ripped it open with her teeth, revealing the circle of rolled up latex inside.

He smirked lightly. "For a virgin, you sure act like you know what you're doing."

"Because I know what I want!"

"And are you truly sure you want me?"

"Don't question the word of a Celestial Spirit wizard! Our promises are our pride."

"I didn't hear a promise, only a declaration," he pointed out lightly. "I just can't believe someone as perfect as you would want some outsider like me."

"You're not an outsider anymore, Fireball." She leaned over and gave him a kiss. "You're my boyfriend. It's natural to want a deep relationship with your boyfriend. Or...do you not actually want to?" she asked with an uncertain pout.

"Oh _hell yes_ ," he growled, and in his eyes she saw the wild driver back in control.

He watched her in the glow of the dashboard lights, helped her when she got confused on which way to unroll the rubber, and finally they were ready. Lucy positioned herself on top, with her knees on either side of him. His heart pounded. Her whole body trembled with anticipation, fear, doubts, and concupiscent desires. A nod from both of them was all they needed.

She sank down slowly. Surprisingly, it did not hurt like she had feared: no soul-shattering sundering, no horrific agony that brought up tears. A little pain, a soft "ouch" as she felt something like getting a paper cut, then it was just a matter of relaxing her lower body and sinking down onto him. She had to wait and adjust to the sensation of being filled up, having something in a place where nothing but tampons and fingers had gone before. Edo-Natsu watched her with worry, and when there were no tears or screams of pain, he sighed with immense relief. He touched her cheek, and Lucy smiled with a nod that she was okay. He leaned back and watched her choose the pace. From there on, Edo-Natsu surrendered control and let Lucy drive!

He was the car, she was the driver. He would take her wherever she wanted, but she decided which route to go down.

He wondered for a moment, if he was outside of his car—if they were in Lucy's home or in a hotel—could he be daring enough to do this? Probably not. What he asked last night was almost beyond his normal level of courage. Besides, something about making love in the backseat...Lucy was right, it had an erotic feel to it, being parked under the stars, out where someone could possibly see them, wild and crazy, young and too horny to wait for a better location.

He had to admit to himself, there was a time long ago when he wanted to get Lucy Ashley in the backseat of his four-wheeler, but she never liked his wild personality. That was a real shame, because this was how he felt most confident. This felt more natural than the timidity he suffered through outside of the car doors. Ashley liked the timid Natsu she could boss around. She avoided someone who was even more dominating than herself.

However, this Lucy accepted both sides of him, and her sweet temperament made him more confident even outside of the car. He loved her for it: for accepting him, for helping him, for smiling so warmly it melted the icy insecurity he felt.

As he flipped their positions and got on top, he knew this was not _his_ Lucy. She lacked the firm muscles and scars. He ran his hands over her svelte body, gliding over the sweaty skin, and rounding over her glistening curves. She was soft, gentle...glowing! As he gazed down at her face trembling and gasping in ecstasy, he felt confident that this was not mere displaced feelings. He would probably hate himself if he made love to her because he wanted her to be _his_ Lucy. He felt more comfortable, more alive, more insistent on pleasing her now that he felt confident that he was doing this for _her_ , for Lucy Heartfilia.

"Oh...oh God!" she screamed as her body clenched on him and her nails dug into his shoulders as she arched up off the seat in ultimate pleasure. Still, he did not stop, and he gave her no time to recover. "Oh... _nnnngh_...Natsu! Oh God, you wild Fireball!"

Hearing her call out his name like that with such abandon, he smiled and realized it was the same for Lucy. She was not imagining this was _her_ Natsu. This was just the two of them, two people from other dimensions who happened to find love in this land of magic. He kissed her hard and shifted her legs around him to get a better angle so he could drive her to the edge of the libidinal cliff again and leave her dangling there, revving in pleasure.

Maybe it wasn't perfect. Maybe he got a cramp in his leg, and she hit her head a little too hard against the door during one of his more vigorous thrusts, only to laugh it off, adjust her position, and demand that he try it again. Still, it was what they both wanted, something crazy, something unexpected, something adventurous and fun!

Her legs flailed, trying to find space in the cramped seat, slipping on the leather backing of the seats, then wrapped around his back to pull him in tighter. He flipped them again, sitting upright on the backseat with her sitting on his lap. He watched her take control again, thrusting herself down onto him, sometimes fast, sometimes achingly slow. Her back began to arch, thrusting those massive breasts out at him. Edo-Natsu could hardly help but suck on the tensed teats.

"Natsu!" she squealed.

"L-Lucy," he strained.

Her speed went rapid, and he knew that he would not last long. Her scream echoed through the car as if it might shatter the windows. He could feel her muscles grip around him tighter, squeezing, releasing, faster and faster. She was at her peak once more, yet he tried to hold back...just a little more.

As soon as her body relaxed, he flipped her once again, desperately needing to go at the speed his body craved. He shielded her head with his hand so she would not hit it again as he thrust hard, as deep as he could, and as fast as his hips would snap. She was so aroused and sensitive, her body built up in no time. Her moans were louder now, heavy with exhaustion. Her nails tug into his skin, leaving behind welts. Her tightness and wild screams were like spikes in the road, making his "tire" pop.

"Lucy!" he strained.

"Natsu...I...again..."

"Now!" he yelled.

Lucy's quivering muscles made his mind white out in pleasure. Every muscle in his body contracted all at once. He tried not to scream—that wasn't manly—yet as he felt the tension reach a climax and explode, he could hardly help but groan and shout. He felt the condom fill, and for a moment he thought he understood how wizards felt when they performed magic.

The drain hit him hard and sudden, and he had to catch himself before he collapsed right on top of Lucy. They switched positions again, he laid sprawled on the backseat and helped her to lie on top of him. He held onto her, keeping her above and offering his skinny body as a bed. He brushed back her golden hair and felt the sweat that stiffened the strands by her scalp.

"Natsu," she sighed with a hint of happiness in her weary breath.

"I love you, Lucy," he sighed happily, relaxing and squeezing her tighter.

Edo-Natsu could hardly help but chuckle wearily. _I'm in big trouble now. I've fallen madly in love with a Heartfilia!_

**End of Chapter 20**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I've waited 10 months to post this chapter. Finally, here it is! This marks the halfway point of the story._
> 
> _Although the person who requested this story definitely wanted a lemon, I wanted to avoid excessive descriptions. Why be gratuitous? Sweet and naughty without being crude and smutty: that was my aim, at least. Let me know if I succeeded._
> 
> _In other news, I suffered a massive seizure, and apparently it affected the language sectors of my brain...which is really bad for a writer like me. This chapter was done long ago, so here it is, but I might be slow...again. Yeah, I hate it as much as you._


	21. Natsu's Weakness

Back in Edolas, Natsu walked away from the treelike guild with fast steps and a grim face. He glanced briefly at the misty sky to figure out which way was east, then headed that way with plodding footsteps thumping in anger.

Lucy Ashley shouted as she stormed out of the guild and ran to catch up with him. "You goddamn bastard, come back here!"

"Not this time, Ashley," he growled. "You've pushed it too far."

"It was just a kiss," she yelled in exasperation.

"You climbed into my bed and practically had me undressed before I could wake up. That's sexual harassment where I come from."

"I thought it was something you'd like. Heartfilia told me you used to sneak into her bed all the time."

"That's different. I only fell asleep beside her. I didn't try to rape her."

"What! Rape?" she shrieked, jogging after him. "Okay, now you've gone too fucking far. All I did was kiss you and unbutton your shirt. Don't you dare accuse me of rape just for that."

"You were jerking my...my _thing_."

She put her hands on her hips. "It's called a dick. Or a cock. Or we could get clinical and call it a penis. Quit acting like a fucking ten-year-old."

He spun back around with fiery eyes. "You were touching it, and you were kissing me, all without my permission. That's the third time you've kissed me, and each time you do it, I tell you no. I'm sick of it! I've already told Wendy to back off, and she has, but you haven't! You need to calm the hell down and leave me alone." He stormed off again. "Dammit, I don't want to be here anymore. I'm sick of running away every time the Fairy Hunters come after us. I'm sick of not having enough magic to do anything useful. I miss my friends. I miss Happy. I'm worried for him. I need to find a way home, and you guys aren't helping."

"We're trying..."

"Not hard enough," he barked, swinging his arm out in fury. "If you guys aren't going to help me, I'll find someone who will. If I can get to the capitol, maybe King Jellal can figure something out. He was a member of Earthland's Fairy Tail after all, a S-Class wizard, even if he had no magic of his own. Still, he was insanely powerful and a brilliant fighter. If he's anything like Earthland's Jellal, then he'll also know the importance of nakama."

Edo-Lucy stomped her foot furiously. "Nakama? I thought we were nakama, too. I thought you said you love the people in this guild."

"I do, but..."

She marched up to him and sneered right into his face. "We might be different from the people in Earthland, but we sure as hell know the importance of nakama. Even if we're from different dimensions, _we are Fairy Tail!_ " she yelled. "I'm not ready to give you up to Knightwalker and that damn King Jellal. I am not letting you go that easily, Natsu."

She grabbed the back of his head, yanked him in forcefully, and kissed him hard on the lips. Natsu flailed, pushed her away, and retreated while wiping his mouth.

"See, my Lucy isn't like this. My Lucy blushes over the stupidest things. My Lucy gets tongue-tied at just the thought of a boy liking her. My Lucy..."

"How is it you like her so much more than you like me, but I like you way the hell more than I like our own Natsu?" she screamed.

"Maybe you never gave your Natsu the chance he needed...just like I never told Lucy how I feel."

"How you...feel?" Edo-Lucy took a step back with a pained look in her eyes. "Does this mean you have feelings for her? Do you...do you love her?"

"No!" he yelled, but Natsu suddenly looked confused. He glanced around at the weird plants of Edolas, anything but looking into the face he knew so well. "I...I dunno," he mumbled, and his face sank down into the folds of his scaly scarf. "I don't know if it's love or something else. I...I just don't know." Talking about something like that to the woman who had Lucy's face was simply too awkward. "I need to get back to her, to everyone. Maybe I can figure this thing out once I'm home. It's no use thinking about it on my own when I don't even know what Lucy thinks." Natsu straightened his scarf and began to walk away.

Edo-Lucy watched him go, and her bottom lip quivered. She slammed her eyes shut and turned her face away. "Idiot," she whispered in frustration. Then with bold determination, she shouted, "I like you!"

Natsu never even paused. "Too bad."

She stomped her foot in rage. "Oh, come on! I just confessed, and you're not even going to give me a proper reply?"

"If I thought you were serious, maybe I would."

"I _am_ serious, asshole!"

He stopped, spun around, and looked directly at her. "Sorry, but I can't return your feelings. Just forget about me."

"Fuck you!"

"Can't you accept a proper rejection?" He turned right back around, wrapped his scarf a little closer around his neck, and continued on. "I hope it's not too far to Royal City."

Edo-Lucy's fists tightened, and she had half a mind to pound him into the dirt. Suddenly, something dawned on her. "The scarf!"

Natsu paused in mid-step, still tugging on the scarf in the misty coldness.

"All this time, I've been trying to figure out your weak point. It's your scarf. You never take it off. It's exactly like my Natsu and his goggles. I bet that scarf was a gift from your father Igneel, right?"

Natsu turned around and stared hard at her. "Do you think you know Dragion that well? Tell me, Ashley: have you ever gone riding with him?"

"What? You mean in his car? Not if I could help it," she sneered. "The guy turns into a maniac when he drives. I heard he made out with Levy, Wendy, Mira, Laki, and Juvia in the backseat of his damn car. Once, he felt up my leg. I beat the shit out of him for doing it."

"He gets confidence, like I feel confidence when I'm wearing my scarf. It's not his goggles that are his weakness. It's his car, or the lack of it, and you guys haven't even bothered to try and fix it for him. You really should, and when he comes back, you should go riding with him. See him for who he truly is."

She folded her arms and looked away. "No good anyway. We have no fuel here. The poor guy has been lost without the ability to drive."

"Then maybe instead of blasting him into other dimensions, you should help him with his vehicle. If you have no fuel, find alternatives. Or design a car that can run on other fuel. I mean, from what I've seen, you've replaced the magical weapons of every member of this guild with practical ones, yet that car Dragion loves so much is still sitting in the garage, broken and unusable. That's his weapon! It's his strength and his weakness. You should help him rebuild it, or if you can't, then help him find confidence in other things. If I lost my scarf, I'd be traumatized, but I know I could still fight and have fun with my friends. That's all I need in life. If Other-Me doesn't feel like he even has that, then I wonder if he'll _want_ to come back to you guys."

"What!" she bellowed. "Of course he would. Why wouldn't he?"

Natsu kept on walking away but gave an exaggerated shrug. "For the same reason I don't want to stay with you guys. If Lucy was mean to me all the time, I'd want to up and leave, too." He rethought that. "No, I'd still stay because of Lisanna and Erza, only because I know they like me and need me. Other-Me doesn't have those two around here, and he lacks confidence. If he really feels like he's not making any contribution to this guild, and all he hears is what you say about him being weak and useless...I'd definitely consider leaving, no matter how much I love Fairy Tail. A guild is only good if you feel like you're wanted."

Her mouth hung open in disbelief. "But...we do want him. We _need_ him. He's one of us."

"Then maybe you should have told him that from the start. Maybe instead of building wormhole devices that don't work right, you should have focused on something easier, like fixing his car." He kept on walking away. "Stop trying so hard to integrate me into your guild and put that focus on switching the two of us back. From what I can see, you all have given up on him, abandoned him. You guys like me better, right? That's what everyone keeps telling me, that I'm a better fighter, I'm stronger, I'm more fun. So what incentive is there to help rescue him?"

"Because he's nakama, dammit!"

"Then treat him like one. Stop trying to replace him with me."

She dropped her head as his words struck her deeply. Had she really given up on Fireball? Yes, she had tried to bring Salamander in, treat him like she would Fireball, but...had she given up so easily? Why?

"Wait," she said softly. Natsu stopped and turned back around. "You're right, I...I guess I've been putting my priorities in the wrong place. It's just...I honestly do like you. I'm not so sure Fireball would like me, so I kinda hoped you would."

"Does that mean you also like him? Have you two ever tried going on a date?"

"What!" she cried out. "Who'd want to date him?"

Natsu was stumped for a moment. He had heard those words before. "I just remembered," he muttered in shock and sadness. "I said those same words to Lucy just before getting sent here."

Ashley blinked in surprise. "Wow, that's surprisingly harsh of you, Salamander."

"Hey! You just said the same thing."

"But I wouldn't say it to Fireball's face. Sheesh, Other-Me must think you really dislike her as a woman. So why don't you give up on her?" Her hand slithered up his muscular arm. "If you don't want to date a timid girl like her, maybe you'd consider someone stronger. You're my type, so that must mean I'm your type."

"A lady who bullies guys around and beats people up for fun? Sorry, I'm not into sadistic girls. If you treat Dragion like you treat me, no wonder he doesn't like you."

Her face flinched at that. "You...really don't like me?"

He sighed and looked aside. "I do like you, Ashley. I like that you're strong and can take care of yourself. Lucy—my Lucy—is strong in her own way, but she always depends on others, either her Celestial Spirits or her friends. It's not annoying, but sometimes I wish she wasn't so squeamish. Lucy is gentle, bashful, timid at times, but she's absolutely brilliant, and she never gives up, even if she knows the enemy is stronger than her. _That_ is true courage! She likes me for who I am. She's still friends with me, although I know I annoy her sometimes, like how Dragion must feel annoyed about you. Still, she's always smiling, even when I do crazy stuff or put her in danger. That's what I like about her."

"But he doesn't like me," she mumbled. "So would your Lucy like you?"

Natsu thought about it. "I dunno. Maybe not. Maybe if I want to have a chance with her, I have to change, be less destructive, like you need to be less abusive toward your Natsu."

Lucy Ashley laughed wryly. "You and I are so much alike, Salamander. I bet our alternate selves get along perfectly. Two timid but strong-in-their-own-way lovebirds! Hell, if I was her, I wouldn't want to give up Fireball. That idiot makes the perfect fuckin' husband! Yet if Heartfilia is like me, she wants you back, if only because you're her friend and she misses you. Both of us would rather have both you and Fireball to ourselves."

"I don't do threesomes," Natsu said bluntly.

That made Edo-Lucy laugh loudly. "You've got a perverted mind after all, Dragneel. I like that. I like you. A lot," she admitted with a blush. "I have to confess, I don't want to let you go."

He sighed in frustration and looked away. "Ashley..."

"I wonder if Other-Me sort of likes my Natsu as well. Hell, if it was me, and I found someone exactly my type..." She eyed Natsu up and down. "...I'd ravage him!"

Natsu's face darkened. "Lucy wouldn't do that!"

Ashley had a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Are you sure about that? She and I aren't total opposites. I think she would," she said, purely to tease him. "Hell, I'd cheer her on! My Natsu needs to get laid, and he's definitely her type."

"Well too bad," Natsu said stubbornly. "She's my Lucy. I ain't giving her up to anyone, not to Gray, not to Loke, and not to another version of myself."

Edo-Lucy laughed softly and muttered, "You probably don't even know what you're saying, idiot. Besides, you're the one who said no one would want to date her. Of course she'd think that includes you, most of all."

"But I..." Natsu cut off his words and looked aside in frustration. "Dammit." He really had said that, so it only made sense that Lucy would take his words that way. Why had something so belittling been one of the last words for her to hear him say?

The blonde sighed and stared around at the misty sky. "That other version of me sounds popular with the guys. She's one lucky girl. And you sound jealous, Mister _I-don't-know-if-I-like-her-or-not_."

Natsu blushed and hid down into his scarf again. "It's not that. She's my friend, and I don't want him to break her heart."

"You Natsus definitely are the heart-breaker types," she said with a weak smile. She blushed and let out a soft sigh, realizing she also felt a little jealous of Lucy Heartfilia. A refined lady like that was probably exactly what Natsu Dragion loved, whereas a rough bitch like her was probably the reason why Fireball tried to spend most of his time out riding, staying far away from the guild. "They're a little too perfect for each other, dammit! I bet those two are sleeping together by now."

Natsu clenched his teeth, and his fists tightened until the veins popped up on his hands.

"Ooh, look who's jealous!" Edo-Lucy leaned in closer, goading him on. "Yep, I bet they get along _real_ well. I bet she takes him for a ride, if you know what I mean. Besides, do you even know how to pleasure her? I could teach you. After all, our bodies are exactly the same."

"No," he rejected without even a second thought. "I'll go home, and I'll figure this thing out, whatever it is. I'm not gonna mess around with you merely out of curiosity. Lucy isn't like that either. If she and Dragion do hook up, it'd be because she likes him, and I'd support that."

"Like hell you would!"

"I would! If Lucy ever said she was in love with someone, if it makes her happy, I'd cheer her on."

Edo-Lucy gave a plaintive sigh. "You're the sort of bastard who actually _would_ do that. Tell ya what. We'll find a way to get you to the capitol. If you try to walk, it'll take you all month."

"I've been waiting for weeks," he snapped.

"I know, and I'm sorry." She looked aside with feelings of frustration from all the conflicting emotions, and she hated that her cheeks felt hot. "Come back to the guild. I'll get Levy started on the transporter, even if I have to whip her into fixing it."

Natsu jogged back to her. "Ya know, you're sorta cute when you blush like that."

Her eyes narrowed. "Say a word about it to the guild and I will personally slice out your tongue."

Natsu laughed. "But you sound a lot more like Erza. Hey, do you like cake?"

"I...w-well," she stuttered. "Yeah, I do."

"Awesome. Lisanna taught me a really good recipe for strawberry cake so I can appease Erza whenever I do something to make her mad. I'll fix it for you," he said, grinning widely.

Edo-Lucy hated to admit that her face felt even hotter seeing that joyful smile of his.

"You better stop it," he laughed. "You're looking cute again."

"Shut up!" she snapped. Then she grumbled, "So, you like the blushing sorts, huh?"

"Dunno. Maybe," he shrugged.

"Natsu's really cute when he blushes. I like that about him. If Lucy Heartfilia is my opposite, it means she likes aggressive boys. She'd definitely fall for you."

"If she does, that's great, but if not then I'll be happy just being her friend."

She glanced over, not believing him, until she saw the look in his face. Natsu truly did look like he would be happy with remaining _just friends_ with the Celestial Spirit summoner. "You're one weird bastard, Salamander."

Natsu grinned widely. "Thanks!"

**End of Chapter 21**


	22. Worries from Friends

When Lucy and Edo-Natsu entered the guild hall, the last thing they expected was an uproar.

"Where were you?" half a dozen people instantly shouted, startling both of them back a step.

"Lu-chan, we were so worried."

The blonde blinked in surprise at the tears in her best friend's eyes. "Levy?"

Then a cold hand thumped on her shoulder, and blue-gray eyes peered way too closely into her face. "Are you safe? Are you hurt? Were you attacked?"

"What? N-No! And Gray, if you're going to get this close, put some clothes on."

Erza stomped forward. "Who kidnapped you?"

Lucy shouted in frustration. "No one kidnapped me. I was never in trouble. Sheesh, can't a girl go on a little roadtrip without the whole world going crazy?"

"Roadtrip?" Gray asked, and he glared at the timid pink-haired boy now cowering behind Lucy's shoulder.

"We didn't know you were leaving," Levy said, sniffling in relief. "I went over to your house, and it was empty. No one knew anything, not even your landlady. There was no note that you had gone, or when you'd be back. The train station had no record of you leaving, and Mira said you hadn't taken a mission. We had no clue what happened to you."

Erza nodded sternly. "If it had just been you, it would be no problem, but Fireball was missing, too. We got worried, since we need to keep him safe. Where did you two go?"

"Well, I..." Lucy glanced back to Edo-Natsu, who shivered against her. His huge eyes gazed up into her face, and both blushed slightly. "I didn't plan to be gone all night," she muttered. "It was suppose to just be for a few hours, but...well...we lost track of time. I'm really sorry."

Gray glared suspiciously between Lucy and Edo-Natsu. As the worries faded and Lucy began telling everyone about the car their Edolas driver had built, Gray heard from her story many details, and many things left unsaid. He also noticed that although the skittish boy clung to Lucy like normal, there was something more to the way he touched her.

"You built a car?" Macao cried out.

Elfman beamed. "Cars are manly!"

"Show us!" many of the men shouted eagerly.

Edo-Natsu shrank under their boisterous enthusiasm. "P-Princess?" he squeaked.

Lucy patted his thigh...a little too high up for Gray's taste. "It's fine, they're just amazed that you really are good with automobiles. I'll come with you. Erza, you drive, right? You should see this. Levy-chan?"

"No thanks," she waved off, making a sour face. "I don't understand machines at all."

Edo-Natsu laughed lightly. "That's totally opposite to my Levy."

Lucy and Edo-Natsu led quite a crowd out to where they parked in front of the Fairy Tail guild hall. Gray was admittedly curious since he liked driving cars and motorcycles, but he took the emptiness to come up to Levy.

"Did you notice about the two of them?"

She looked up from a thick book in a foreign language. "Notice what?"

"The way they look at each other now."

Levy smiled mischievously. "Oh Gray, don't tell me you're jealous." She glanced over his shoulder. "Juvia's glaring and muttered some evil curse about love rivals."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't care. I'm not jealous, either. I'm worried about Lucy. Edo-Natsu is annoying, but he's a likable guy. I think Lucy is in love with him, and it's definitely mutual. This weekend trip...there's something she's not telling us. For one, why were they gone all night? Where did they stay? Why the hell is Lucy limping?"

Levy finally understood what he was implying. "You think Lucy and...and Natsu Dragion...the two of them..." Her cheeks went bright pink.

Behind a column, Juvia was practically frothing at the mouth as she muttered to herself. "Why is Levy blushing to Gray-sama? Is she flirting with Gray-sama? Love rival...love rival..."

Gray did not want to accuse Lucy of anything lewd. "I'm just guessing here, as a guy. Lucy's a hot girl..."

" _Love rival!_ "

"...and any sane man would want a piece of that ass."

"Rrrrrrgh...love rival!"

"Oh really, Gray," Levy smirked. "Yet I haven't seen you trying to flirt with her."

"I wouldn't hit on Lucy. She's my teammate. It'd be too awkward."

The demonic glow in Juvia's eyes shattered. "Huh? Not a love rival?"

"Besides," continued Gray, "although I know he's too much of an idiot to realize it, I think Natsu has a thing for Lucy. When he gets back, if she's hooked up with Wheel-brain, things are gonna get ugly."

For a long time now, Levy had her suspicions about Lucy and Natsu. Gray had a point. Both were too innocent—or in Natsu's case, too dense—to realize what others saw as obvious. "I heard Mira say that for Natsu to come back, Edo-Natsu has to leave."

"I heard that, too," Gray nodded, pouting that the Edolas boy he had come to like would have to go just to bring back the fire-breathing bastard he hated. Life was so unfair! "Lucy needs to come to realize that Edo-Natsu won't be around forever. If she falls in love, and he has to leave...she's my teammate and my friend. I don't want her heartbroken. She wouldn't talk about this sort of thing with me, but girls talk to their best friends about boys, right? Try talking to her."

Just then, the group came back inside, noisy as they exclaimed about the car that ran on lacrima fuel rather than a wizard's own magic. Edo-Natsu walked stiffly, laughing nervously in the middle of a circle of men who wanted to know more details about the magical conversion of fuel to power. Lucy laughed at how utterly traumatized the socially awkward boy looked, suddenly finding himself as the center of attention. She escaped quickly to sit with Levy.

"Boys and their toys," she whispered with a giggle. "He doesn't show it when he's like this, but he's immensely proud of that car. Sheesh, you should have seen him yesterday. He was crazy, insane, a totally beast! But...sweet, too," she ended softly with a rosy blush.

"Lu-chan, um..." Levy looked around. Being in the midst of a noisy drinking hall was the worst place for a girl's discussion about boys. "Can we get together later?"

"Sure. What's up?"

"I just want to talk to you about..."

Suddenly, a pink comet flew past her. Lucy knew that particular blurry scene. She had seen Natsu flung across the room plenty of times during brawls.

"Ouch-ch-ch-ch!" the Edolas boy cringed as he rubbed out where he collided into a wall.

"Fireball!" Lucy looked back to the crowd and angrily demanded, "Who did that?"

Then she saw Romeo with purple flames around his fist and tears of fury lining his eyes. "How dare you say that?" the boy roared in outrage.

"Oh God, I turn my back for one minute..." Lucy ran over to where Fireball was trying, with much difficulty, to pull himself up. "What happened?"

"I..I didn't...mean anything...bad." Slowly, Edo-Natsu pulled himself up. "Wendy asked if she could ride. It was noisy, I thought she said _drive_. I told her she has to grow up and fill out a bit before I can let her. I...I..." He held onto Lucy's arm for support as he pulled himself up onto his feet. With her besides him, suddenly the driver's fierceness was back into his eyes. "Goddammit, Romeo, I didn't mean her fucking tits!"

The whole guild fell silent at the unexpected outburst. Edo-Natsu jolted back, even more stunned that he had transformed into the driver without a car.

"I...I mean...s-sorry," he whispered, trembling in terror.

"What else could you have possibly meant?" Romeo bellowed.

Macao began to step forward to his son. "Take it easy."

"Wendy's in tears," Romeo screamed in outrage, pointing to the little girl.

Wendy wiped her eyes. "It's okay, Romeo. I just took it the wrong way. Plus, I know I'm not very big, and Edolas-Me is rather...umm...grown up and...and mature...and she has a really big..."

"I don't care about your chest size," Romeo declared loudly. "Neither should anyone else. Only perverts think about that. You're beautiful and perfect, just how you are, and nobody should..."

"You think I'm...beautiful?" Wendy gasped softly.

The rage in Romeo's face snuffed out as fast as a candle flame in a windstorm. "You...well...I think...you're very...umm..." He blushed, realizing he had just basically admitted to everyone in the guild, including Wendy, that he had a crush on her.

"Romeo," she whispered. "You...do you...maybe..."

The thirteen year old panicked when he saw the downcast eyes. "Please, Wendy. Please don't be upset. Don't be mad at me."

"No, I'm not, I...I just..." Her face went crimson as tears came to her eyes. "You...really..."

Romeo misunderstood the face she was making. He swirled back to Edo-Natsu. "See, idiot! You made her cry!" Then, ashamed and embarrassed, Romeo ran out of the guild.

"Ah!" Wendy cried out in shock. "Romeo!"

"Sheesh, such awkward kids," Lucy sighed, although she thought the two youngsters were incredibly cute. "I'll go after the hot-head. I'm used to dealing with his sort. Fireball, straighten things up with Wendy, and don't say anything stupid." Then she leaned into his ear. "I'll see you at home later, hot stuff. Don't keep me waiting," she purred, which made his face turn as bright as his pink hair.

Lucy left, and Edo-Natsu decided to take Wendy on that drive she wanted, just to cheer her up, and maybe to talk with her. He had been pretty good friends with the Wendy back home. Maybe a little more than friends from time to time. The devious woman really could capture men in her webs of seduction! But this Wendy was cute, small, and innocent. She reminded Edo-Natsu more of himself, timid and lacking confidence in her own abilities.

They left for a brief drive down to the candy store and back, and Levy watched with a worried gaze.

"I hope you're not doing anything stupid, Lu-chan."

* * *

Later that day, Levy went over to Lucy's apartment. She knocked on the door, then heard clattering inside. Worried, she put her ear to the door.

"Crap, I forgot Levy wanted to come over."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just..."

"Quiet. Just...run to the bedroom. Hurry. Wait, take your clothes with you. Crap, where's my skirt?"

After a full minute, Lucy breathlessly swung the door open. Levy swallowed hard. Even if she had not overheard their words, it was only obvious that Lucy had been in the midst of something steamy. Her hair was tussled in a sexy way with a vain attempt to straighten it down, she had missed a button while snapping up her blouse, and with those huge breasts, it was far too obvious that she was not wearing a bra. That was lying on the nightstand, and Edo-Natsu's flame-print boxers were wrinkled up on the floor.

Gray was right. This cute crush she and Cana had teased Lucy about was now out of control.

"I'm...sorry. I interrupted you."

Lucy looked in a panic. "Levy-chan, you see, it's like this..."

"You don't have to explain. It's pretty obvious. I mean, his underwear is over there."

"Crap," Lucy whispered, glancing back at the clothes still left out. "Hey, if you still want to go out together, we can. Just...you know, give me a couple minutes."

"No, you two...I mean...you're...busy." Levy twisted her toe into the wooden threshold as her cheeks inflamed. "Be honest. Are you in love?"

Lucy's flushed smile and glittering eyes said it all. "Yeah. Heh, crazy, right? But...yeah. Yesterday's drive was a date, and not our first. We've been dating in secret for a while now, and we...um... _you know_...last night. That's why I was out all night."

"Then you two...you...d-did it?" Levy squeaked out, covering her mouth before she squealed.

Lucy turned her scarlet cheeks away, but she silently nodded to answer.

Levy looked at her in both happiness and pity. "You really love him then, don't you?"

Again, Lucy could only nod. Her throat had nearly choked closed with too many emotions.

"I see. Well, I won't bother you. I hope you're being... _safe_."

"Oh, yes, definitely," Lucy assured. "He's a real gentleman, Levy-chan, and he's taking responsibility for...for... _that stuff_."

"Okay, good. Well, maybe tomorrow we'll go out. You probably could use some girl time."

"Yeah," Lucy laughed with a nervous shiver in her voice. "It's been a crazy weekend. Hell, a crazy month!"

"I bet. Take care, Lu-chan."

Levy left, and on the whole trip from Strawberry Street to the Fairy Tail guild hall, her cheeks were solidly red. She needed to tell someone. Cana was drunk, Lisanna was not around, Juvia was off stalking Gray, Erza was not around anymore, so she went up to the white-haired bartender.

"Mira, you know how we've talked about what happens if Lucy and Edo-Natsu fall in love?"

"Sure," she smiled with a twinkle in her blue eyes.

"It...happened," Levy confessed in a guilty whisper, hating herself for ratting out her best friend. "I went over to her place just now. They're...close. _Really_ close."

Mira's face dropped. At the same time, Makarov walked over.

"Is this true, Levy-chan?" he asked with a stern look in his ancient eyes.

Levy shrank down, feeling so terrible about tattling on Lucy, but she knew this was something that was a worry for the core members of Fairy Tail.

"It's as we feared," Makarov sighed.

"She looks so happy, though," Mira tried to protest.

He sighed wearily. "I'm sure she's a typical teenage girl, wildly in love, but the fact remains that we don't know if Edo-Natsu can stay. He might say he wants to now, but he's a member of Fairy Tail. He won't want to leave his nakama so easily. There is still a week before we can call King Jellal. Even then, there's no guarantee that they've found Natsu and the other Fairy Tail. The longer this drags on, the harder it will be for Edo-Natsu to leave Earthland."

"Master," Levy piped in, "if he wants to stay, can't we keep him here somehow?"

"That's the issue. Him staying or going is not up to me, but up to Edolas, what _they_ are capable of doing. I can send a person from this dimension to theirs, but the reverse is impossible with Edolas' lack of magic and their current level of technology. All we know is that they can switch two identical people from one dimension to the other. That might be their limit. So far, they don't have the means to simply transport Natsu Dragneel back here. We have to work with what they can do."

"It's just..." Levy dropped her head. "It'd be a pity to separate them. Lucy finally found someone she loves."

Makarov patted her on the leg. "You're a good friend. Lucy-chan needs someone like you. For her sake, I hope we can give them more time together. Let's keep an eye on them, but don't get in the way. If we try to break them up, it'll only make them stronger. They're both members of Fairy Tail, and that's how we are. In the meantime, I'll look into a few things. If there is any way to bring Natsu home without sending Edo-Natsu back, we'll try it. If it's impossible, we'll need to be ready to comfort Lucy when the time comes."

"It's so sad," Levy muttered.

Mira patted her arm. "But as you said: she's so happy. Let's cheer her on while keeping her one foot into reality, okay?"

"Mmhn," Levy nodded. "Hey Mira, are you up for a girl's night out tomorrow? Lu-chan needs to get away from the boy and spill the beans, and you're the best at getting people to talk."

"Ooh, I know just the place, a really cute café," Mira squealed.

Makarov laughed and walked away. "Crazy brats!"

**End of Chapter 22**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I can hardly believe that Wheels of Fire is one year old today. It's also the one year anniversary of "Lion's Pride" being finished. The day I posted the last chapter of that behemoth, I posted the first chapter of this story. I sort of rushed this chapter to get it done by today. Well, more like at 2AM I realize it was the anniversary of the fanfic, and by 7AM I had stayed up all night to write this out, just so I can update it on the anniversary. I'm weird like that._
> 
> _I credit the scene with Romeo and Wendy to Ryujin65, who really wanted to see a little bit of RoWen in this story and requested this particular scene. There might be more hints about those two. They're adorable._ ^_^


	23. Edoquakes Again

**This is a tanchimo.**   
**  
Tanchimo says Hi.**

Natsu found shelter from a windstorm inside the stables attached to the tree-like guild. There were a dozen stalls, but only a few animals, all of them the weird tanchimo creatures that these people used for riding, since magic was gone from Edolas and cars were useless. He pet his alternative-self's tanchimo, a purple beast named Yusō. The animal that looked like something between an emu, a horse, and a rabbit was wild normally, but it settled down around Natsu. He guessed he and Dragion smelled alike. Animals went by smell, and Yusō liked to sniff him. Natsu enjoyed petting the tanchimo, although he refused to ride one.

"He's not transportation, you know."

Natsu jolted. He had not been paying attention to the sound of footsteps, and a stiff breeze that morning blew the smell of the approaching person away, so he was startled to see Edo-Cana walking forward. She wore a prim calico dress, a massive sunbonnet, and she held in her hands a saucer and teacup.

"Or, that's what Natsu Dragion used to say," she went on, stepping delicately around a pile of tanchimo droppings. "At first, Natsu was determined to think of a tanchimo as just another means of transportation. However, as time passed, the creatures no longer fulfilled what Natsu needed. He still felt timid, even while riding. The trouble was, he got too close to them. They became friends. He couldn't feel the freedom of travel when he was merely riding along with a friend. So he kept switching tanchimos, a new one nearly every other month. Yusō here is the tenth one he owned. Actually, all of our current tanchimos were originally Natsu's. He would break in an animal, train it to carry a rider, but then he'd get attached. As soon as he did, it was no longer transportation. The effect wore off. I wonder if the same would work for you."

"Yeah," Natsu agreed, petting Yusō's neck. "Happy isn't transportation. He can fly me around in any way at all, and I don't ever feel sick."

"You've bonded well with Yusō," Edo-Cana said, coming up beside him. "Try riding him. It's obvious that Yusō thinks of you as a friend, so maybe he will work for you. I think you'll find more joy and freedom with a tanchimo. We can go riding into town on a shopping trip. I could use someone to carry back my crates of tea. I go through tea ever so quickly," she lamented, and took a sip from the porcelain cup in her hand.

"Riding, huh?" Natsu asked, looking up at the creature's tiny black eyes, thick eyebrows, and fat cherry-red lips, with long purple ears like a rabbit. He held up a carrot, and Yusō happily devoured it. "I wouldn't mind more freedom."

He was also thinking, if he could learn how to ride, he could escape this other dark Fairy Tail and ride off to Royal City. Knightwalker did not scare him, and he knew Mystogan, or King Jellal, would do everything possible to help him. The only reason he had not left yet is that Lucy Ashley insisted it would take weeks, and he did not know the land well. With a tanchimo, perhaps that journey would only be days.

Edo-Cana set her teacup to the side. "I'll show you how to saddle him up. You'll have to keep him calm, though. Yusō is notoriously wild around anyone but Dragion."

She got a saddle and showed Natsu how to strap it around the chest and hind of the creature, just above the bunny-like puffball tail. It held still as Natsu carefully climbed up and let his weight sink onto the saddle. Suddenly, Yusō bucked up, and Natsu gulped down vomit.

"Your weight is more than he's used to," Edo-Cana realized, trying to hold onto the reins. "He doesn't recognize the weight. Try talking to him."

"Uuuuugh!" Natsu moaned in sickness. "This was a really bad idea."

At the sound of his voice, Yusō looked around and saw the pink-haired man. Immediately, it calmed down.

"There, see!" she smiled. "Yusō knows Dragion by his voice as well as smell. Keep talking."

"This is nothing at all like Happy," Natsu complained, slumping down in the saddle.

"Don't you realize it already? Yusō was never truly broken in. He won't allow a _rider_ onto his back. Only a _friend_. He sees you as a friend, not as a rider. It's rather rude if you see him as transportation and not as a friend, too."

"As...a friend?" Natsu stroked the purple neck, like he had been doing earlier. Yusō made a rumbling purr noise. "Heh! That's cute. Happy purrs when I pet him, too." Suddenly, Natsu realized something. "Hey, I don't feel sick anymore."

"Go walk him around the guild building," Edo-Cana encouraged. She picked up her saucer and teacup, then stepped aside to let him pass.

Natsu held the reins, gave them a small jostle, and the tanchimo moved out of the stables. It was a bumpy ride, but Natsu did not feel sick at all.

"Wow! It's better than Troia! Yusō, you're really awesome."

The tanchimo began to prance arrogantly.

Natsu rode around the guild once slowly, getting a feel for the saddle and how to handle the creature. Then he went a second time, listening to Edo-Cana call out the commands to use for steering, stopping, and galloping. He took Yusō into a canter, and the rush of the wind felt good in his pink hair. This was similar to flying with Happy. Only...bumpier.

"Hey Cana! I think I got the hang of this. Wanna go riding?"

"You're still a novice, but I can see you're having fun. Let me get a traveling cloak and some money, then you can..."

Edo-Cana suddenly gasped, and as Natsu watched, something shot through her chest. Blood burst out over the prim dress. She dropped her teacup, and it shattered against the grass, splashing a pale brown liquid onto her soft shoes. Then slowly, she fell forward, collapsing face-first into the grass.

"Cana!" screamed Natsu. He kicked the sides of the tanchimo and rushed over to her. "Cana! What happened?" He jumped off and slid to her side. Under her, a pool of blood seeped out and oozed between blades of grass. "Oh...oh God. No!" Natsu looked around for enemies. He saw no one, and he smelled nothing with the stiff wind. "Help!" he bellowed. "Cana's been shot."

Macao was the first to run out of the guild building. He saw the woman lying on her face, her dress bloodied, and Natsu kneeling beside her putting pressure on the wound. "Oh God...Wendy! Wendy, get out here with the medical kit. Someone, get a stretcher. Elfman, come here. Help us carry her in. Natsu, what the hell happened?"

"I don't know," he shouted frantically. "She was just suddenly shot. I don't smell anyone. Dammit, she's bleeding bad. Back home, I'd just cauterize this."

"Don't use magic, Natsu," Macao warned. "You know what Wendy said."

Natsu looked down at the shiny crimson slicked over his fingers and the blood still seeping despite the pressure he was placing on the wound. The shot was too low to have hit her heart, but it was still bleeding severely.

Wendy rushed out with Elfman, and Romeo came out with a stretcher under his arms. They carefully rolled Cana over, and she moaned as they slid the cot under her.

"Was...my favorite...teacup," she mumbled as they lifted the cot and hurried her inside.

Lucy Ashley stomped out, a rifle in her hands, and she tossed a pistol to Natsu. "Must be a sniper. Where is he, Natsu?"

"I don't smell anything," he muttered, still staring down at his bloody hands that now held a weapon he truly did not want to use. "They must be really far away."

"Or they're approaching from downwind." She scanned the horizon. The wind whipped her short, blonde hair around. "Damn this breeze and the fog! If they know you're with us, it's possible they know you can smell enemies."

"But who in this world knows that about me?"

Edo-Lucy's brow furrow. "Goddammit... _Fairy Hunters!_ " she bellowed back toward the guild.

"Fairy Hunters? You mean that other Erza? Ashley, maybe she can help us."

"How? By shooting more people? I am _not_ putting the lives of the entire guild at risk."

"But...Knightwalker is like Erza Scarlet, right?"

"She _opposite_ to Erza Scarlet, just as you're opposite to Dragion and I'm opposite from that Heartfilia girl."

"But Ashley..."

"No, Natsu! I won't risk it. Cana was just shot, for fuck's sake! Don't you get it? Knightwalker killed our nakama, our master, our _family_. I'm not about to hand you over to that murderer."

Just then, there was another shot, but Lucy Ashley dropped to the ground just in time to miss getting hit.

"Stop shooting," someone whispered. "You might hit the magic user."

"Lucy!" Natsu screamed.

Still on the ground, she propped up on her elbows, took aim with the rifle, and fired in the direction of the voices. There was a low rock wall, something probably once used by shepherds to keep the flocks in the correct field. Natsu now saw the two people crouched down wearing royal uniforms. With the gusty wind that day, he could not smell them, but now he heard them.

"Bastards!" he shouted, and he ran toward them in a fury.

One gunman aimed at him, but the other yanked his partner's shoulder, making the shot fly off wild and hit the guild wall instead.

"Idiot, you can't shoot him! Pink hair. It's the magic user."

"I was aiming for his leg. He won't die, but he won't run."

"It's too dangerous."

"No, _he's_ too dangerous. Didn't you listen to Captain Knightwalker's briefing? We are not to engage the magic user. Suppress him by any means necessary."

The gunman took aim again. He was about to shoot when another blast from Edo-Lucy's rifle hit his hand and shot the gun right out. The man screamed as a finger was completely blow off from the bullet. The other soldier fired at the blonde, and Natsu heard her shout in pain.

"You bastards! No one hurts Lucy. _Fire Dragon's Roar!_ "

Edo-Lucy's eyes went huge. "Natsu, no!"

Flames shot out of his mouth, directed through his hands, and engulfed both men. They shrieked, rolled on the ground until the flames were out, then turned and ran as fast as they could go.

"Get back here, you...you..." Natsu suddenly collapsed to his knees and blinked out dizziness. "Ooooh...okay, that was a dumb idea."

Edo-Lucy held a gash to her arm where the bullet had nicked her. "Natsu! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just...magic...uuugh..." His face went flat against the grass. "Need...magic."

Under him, he felt a tremor in the ground. It was faint at first, but soon it grew stronger with a sound like a wild stampede heading his way. The wind around him began to swirl around, sending Edo-Lucy's short hair into a tempest. The fog swirled with the wind, until a twister took form right above Natsu's prone body. Yusō cried out in fear as the wind roared and ground shook hard. With a deafening rumble, the dirt itself cracked apart, opening into a chasm that tore the stone wall apart, leaving behind a meter-wide gap.

"Edoquake," Lucy shouted, kneeling down as the massive shaking made standing impossible. The crack in the land spread, and a fissure opened just a couple steps away from her. "My God, I've never felt one this bad before. And what the hell is that funnel?" she asked, gazing up at the sky. "We don't get tornadoes in this part of Edolas."

Natsu felt a strange sensation. "It's...me," he realized. "N-no. No, stop it. Stop doing this."

Slowly, the shaking ceased. Lucy Ashley looked around, then back at the guild. "Is everyone okay?"

Edo-Wendy ran out, her massive bosom bobbling with each pounding step. "We're fine: broken dishes, a window shattered, a shelf fell and broke a couple tables, but no bad injuries. The worst is Mira. She got cut up when all the alcohol bottles fell off the bar shelves. It's not bad, though. Was that really another edoquake? That was way too strong. Unless...Natsu!" she shouted, and she ran over to him.

"Stay back!" he bellowed, making her stop short. Slowly, he rose back up to his knees with his head hanging down wearily. "It's...me. I don't know how, but the wind and the land...it's me. It's my body. I could feel it just now. I was trying to reach out for magic particles. There aren't any. There's no Eterano in Edolas anymore. Still, my body is trying to absorb them from the atmosphere and the land." He looked at the huge crack in the ground. "It's...it's tearing the land apart. I don't know how, and I have no clue how to stop it."

Edo-Lucy stomped forward. "Stop trying to use your magic, you fucking idiot! That's what happened last time, too. Shit, you're gonna kill yourself and us."

Natsu gazed down. His hands were still red with blood, and now they also felt hot from the fire he had produced. Edo-Cana was shot because people wanted him. Her favorite cup was shattered, because of him. The guild was damaged, _because of him!_

"I'm...not safe. Not for any of you. It's just gonna get worse, isn't it? I can't get the magic back. My body will keep trying, and..."

The ground suddenly began to shake again. The foggy clouds that made this piece of land so safe to hide swirled around again, funneling right above Natsu's body like last time.

"No! Stop it!" he yelled, fearing all this strangeness. Slowly, the strong shaking and weird swirling stopped. "What the hell is going on?" he cried out in terror.

"Natsu," Edo-Wendy frowned, hating to see him scared.

"Don't come near me," he yelled, and his voice cracked in strain. His hands shook in terror, and his eyes began to tear over. "Just...no one...don't get close to me. I might try to suck magic out of you, and I don't know what will happen if I do that. I...I could... _kill_ someone."

His eyes grew wide in horror. These people had become his friends. He really had come to think of them almost as a family. Now they were all in danger... _because of him!_

"Oh God," he whispered. "I'm dangerous to you, to the guild, to everyone in this world. I...I don't belong in Edolas. I'm gonna tear the whole planet apart if this keeps up."

Lucy Ashley scoffed, "You're just being melodramatic."

Still, Natsu looked saddened and fearful. "I...need...to leave." He suddenly jumped up and began to run. The two Edolas women chased after him.

"Natsu, stop it!" Edo-Wendy cried out.

"Stay away from me! I'm dangerous to you all," he shouted back, racing away.

"There is no way you're more dangerous than I am," Edo-Lucy argued, running much faster than Edo-Wendy.

Just as she almost caught up with the weakened Natsu, Yusō ran up parallel to the dragon slayer. He leaped onto the animal, and Yusō bolted off. In mere seconds, they were a purple and pink dot on the horizon.

"Shit! That idiotic son of a motherfucking whore!" Edo-Lucy screamed. "Dammit, we have to catch him before..."

They heard a beast's cry high above. Both she and Edo-Wendy looked up into the sky just as a squadron of Legion swooped down. They saw redheaded Erza Knightwalker in the lead.

"Oh God, not her," Lucy Ashley moaned. She raced back toward the guild building. "Prepare for wormhole leap! Levy, you have half a minute."

She ran inside the building. The place had suffered more damage than Edo-Wendy let on. People dabbed bloody cuts. Elfman knelt by Mira's side, holding her as Droy used some medicinal ointment on gashes to the beauty's face. Cana moaned in the infirmary. The others were trying to clean up the mess from the quake in preparation for the guild to move locations once more.

Edo-Levy's fingers raced over her console. "Lucy, you're gonna make us materialize right in the middle of a fucking mountain one of these days."

"It'd be home for an old bat like you," she snapped. "How's Cana?"

Macao reported, "It missed her heart, but it hit her lungs. One lung has collapsed. Wendy did what she could to stabilize her, but Cana needs a hospital and a real doctor."

"Then pray we land somewhere close to a town. Levy, how much..."

Just then, they heard the whinny of a tanchimo. Edo-Lucy raced out just in time to see Wendy's purple hair fly by.

"What the hell are you doing?" she yelled. "We're about to jump."

"If we do, we'll lose Natsu for good," the woman shouted back.

"We'll find him again. Follow the epicenter of any edoquakes in the region. Shouldn't be that hard."

"Then that's where you'll find me, too."

"Wendy, get your spidery ass back here!"

Edo-Wendy looked back around with a sad smile. "You have a duty, Lucy. Master charged you with taking care of the guild. Get them to safety. I'll get Natsu."

"You idiot! How will you find us?"

Edo-Levy ran out the door. "Wendy, catch!" She threw a metal device. "It's the personal transporter I was working on. If you're lucky, it'll bring you to wherever the guild ends up. If Salamander is lucky, it'll take you to Earthland instead."

"And if we're both unlucky?" the busty woman asked, handling the invention warily.

"You'll end up in the middle of Knightwalker's torture chambers, or maybe another dimension altogether. Wish for luck." Then she hurried back inside. "Prepare for a wormhole leap!"

"Wendy!" Lucy Ashley yelled. "Don't let them take you prisoner."

She gave a confident wink. "I'm the Sky Maiden. I'll fly out of here before they can catch me."

"And don't do anything to Natsu."

A smirk rose on the young woman's face. "I'll only do as much as you've done."

"You cunt!" Edo-Lucy sneered, but just then Jet and Droy yanked her inside, and the whole guild vanished.

Edo-Wendy stared at the vacant spot and gave a deep sigh. It was common knowledge amongst the guild that if they leaped while a guild member was away, that person was pretty much on their own. It could take months to find the guild again, following rumors while hiding one's own identity. Many times, a person left behind had little other choice but to settle down somewhere and make the best of the rest of their life, and they were never seen in the guild again. It was said that most were captured by Fairy Hunters in under six months.

Voluntarily staying behind was suicidal. However, Edo-Wendy knew she could not abandon Natsu.

"Damn that hothead! Why'd I have to fall for someone like him?" She looked at the incoming squadron. "I might as well leave them a Sky Maiden welcoming."

She pulled on her gloves, unraveled some of her thin spider thread, and nimbly strung it between areas, low enough to catch the enemy. Then above, and around, weaving a complicated web of nearly invisible lines. In just a minute, she had set her field.

"A work of art! Now to escape."

She climbed onto the tanchimo and rode in the same direction Natsu had gone. Behind her, she heard shouts and screams as the invaders flew right into her web, getting lacerated on the razor-sharp strands. Her eyes narrowed with determination as she galloped off after the man she liked.

Erza Knightwalker leaped off her Legion and looked at her men nursing injuries. The guild was gone, a flattened place in the grass showing where they had been for the past week. As she carefully stepped forward, she saw invisible lines dripping with the blood of her troops. Suddenly, she felt a sting to her face and froze instantly. Careful, she pulled back. She saw a droplet of her blood drip down one of the spider threads. Her gauntlet reached up, swiped her cheek, and she saw the blood that dripped from a thin laceration.

"That damn Sky Maiden," Knightwalker muttered. "We flew all this way for nothing." She stomped back to her Legion. "Pull back carefully. Watch for lines. We're heading back to Royal City."

"Already, Captain?" a weary soldier moaned. "But we just got here. We've been flying all week."

"Tch! Fine, you can stop at the nearest garrison, but I'm flying back to see what the king wants to do next." She took to the air and glared at the horizon as she flew quickly away. "When I find that Sky Maiden, I'm going to cut her! Slowly."

**End of Chapter 23**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm participating in National Novel Writing Month starting in November. I wanted to get one more chapter in before the madness hits. If you are also doing NaNoWriMo, please feel free to be my writing buddy.  
> <http://nanowrimo.org/en/participants/rhov>


	24. The Ice Prince and the Lion King

Gray knocked on Lucy's door. He heard two voices inside, a man's and a woman's, bantering lively. Finally, the knob turned and Lucy peeked out. From inside, Gray smelled bacon and coffee.

"Yes? What is it, Gray?"

"Sorry to disturb your breakfast."

Edo-Natsu suddenly ran around the corner out of the kitchen. "Gray! Hey, buddy. Do you want some coffee? There's plenty left. I brewed a whole pot."

Gray smiled sadly at the Edolas boy who treated him like a best friend. "Another time. I need to ask Lucy a favor. Can you call out Loke?"

"Loke?" Confused, she reached to her belt and pulled off the Lion's Key. "Is there a problem?"

"I need to speak with him rather urgently."

"O-...-kay." She knew Gray and Loke were close friends, but he had never asked her to call the Celestial Spirit out just to talk. "Open the Gate of the Lion! Leo!"

There was a flash, a chime, and the orange-haired playboy stood before them in his refined suit. "Ah, my princess! You love me after all."

She rolled her eyes. "Say that to Gray. He's the one who wanted you."

The Lion looked a little disgruntled that it was Gray and not his princess that needed him. He lightly teased, "I know we're friends and we make a good team, but I'm sorry, Gray. I simply don't swing that way."

Gray grabbed Loke by the tie and dragged him away.

"Bondage and roughhousing isn't my thing, either," Loke chuckled. "I'll be right back, Princess. Save some coffee for me."

"Go get you own coffee!" she shouted, and slammed her door shut.

Gray left the little house and walked swiftly down Strawberry Street. When finally he got to a bridge with not much traffic, he stopped and faced the Celestial Spirit.

"We have a problem."

"The guild?"

"Lucy. She's fallen in love with the Natsu from Edolas."

"That lookalike?" he growled softly. "Gemini said something about that. How serious is it?"

Gray frowned. He had heard the rumor. Hell, everyone had heard by now. "Apparently, they're sleeping together."

Loke staggered back in shock and leaned against the bridge railing. "My sweet Lucy? And that guy? No way!"

"Now, personally, I like this Natsu better than that flame-brain, but if he has to leave Earthland, Lucy will be heartbroken. I don't want that. I'm sure you don't, either. None of us do. Breaking them up would be too cruel, but we can at least physically separate them. It might lessen the blow for Lucy if she spends less time with that guy."

Loke still looked miserable. "My pure little princess. She's no longer a...a..." His lips quivered and tears lined his eyes behind the blue shades. "But... _I wanted to be her first!_ " he wailed.

"Loke, focus!" Gray snapped. "It's an order from Makarov to keep those two apart without angering Lucy too much. He understands that this is...unfortunate. We're to separate them as delicately as possible while still cheering her on. We decided the best thing would be to go on a mission. However, Erza is off on an S-class mission, Wendy is away on a mission with Romeo, so I need your help. It'll be the three of us: you, me, and Lucy."

Loke wiped his eyes. "We're not breaking them up though, right? I might not like this, but forcing them apart..."

"That's why we're using a mission as an excuse. If Lucy is away from Edo-Natsu, she might start thinking more rationally, at least enough to prepare herself for the possibility that he might not be able to stay here forever. Plus, with a little separation, parting might be easier if it comes to that. I really hope it doesn't. Edo-Natsu is a great guy, and Lucy is really happy. Still, we need to take her heart into consideration, even if it's a little cruel on the two of them."

"I see," Loke said solemnly. "I'll help out. I love her. I'm sure you do, too. We don't want to see her get hurt."

"I...I don't _love_ her," Gray said, blushing slightly. "She's nakama, and she's a great girl, and while she's cute, she's also my teammate, so something like that...it'd be too awkward."

"A lame excuse," Loke chuckled. "Still, that's one less suitor I have to compete with to win Lucy's heart."

"You never give up, do you?"

"Of course not! I'm Leo the Lion."

"Whatever. Let's go to the guild and find the right mission for this."

* * *

Working together with Mirajane's assistance, they picked what they hoped was the perfect mission to accomplish their goals. However, when they told Lucy and showed her the flier, she grinned excitedly.

"This is perfect! Fireball's been wanting to test out his new car in a mission."

Gray and Loke both shouted, "No!"

She pouted and folded her arms over her chest. "Why not? The client doesn't live near the train lines. Plus this says we have to fight some rich baron. I looked up his mansion on the map, and it's in a really remote area. We'd have to spend days walking there. Natsu can drive us and make it in no time."

The two young men sighed. The remoteness of the place was part of their plan. A mission like this would take two weeks at least. With any luck, Edo-Natsu would be gone by then. However, Lucy explained happily, using the map spread out on the table, that if they drove, they could be finished in three days. They argued that someone without magic could not fight this wicked baron and his small army bent on destroying the nearby villages. However, Lucy's plan was to have Edo-Natsu drop them off, then stay behind with the car until they were done with the fighting.

In the end, her logic won out. They could not think of any good reasons why they should not use the advantages of having a car to transport them.

"You have to ask if he wants to first," Loke told her. "He might not." That was lame. Of course he would want to stay with her rather than be separated for two weeks. However, it got Lucy to leave the guild and go back home to ask Fireball.

Loke and Gray huddled together to rethink their plan.

"If Edo-Natsu drives us there," Loke said, "there's no way he can be of help."

Gray nodded in agreement. "Seeing how helpless he is would remind Lucy that he's not meant for this world."

Loke flinched a little at that. In many ways, he understood how Edo-Natsu felt. He had also been a stranger in a world that he did not belong in. However, he also knew that sometimes, leaving that world was the best thing to do. "Do you really think this Edolas boy will leave?"

"From my understanding, it's not our call to make. It depends on if Edolas has the technology to send Natsu Dragneel back to us without _needing_ to switch places with his double. If we can at all keep Dragion here, that'd be better all around. Well, except for anyone who might miss him in Edolas. It'd probably suck for his guild, but if Edolas can send Natsu back to us with no troubles, and if Edo-Natsu really wants to stay here, why not?" he concluded with a shrug. "Why do you ask?"

"Maybe I'm being greedy," Loke scowled, "but I really don't want him around Lucy anymore."

"That is greedy, since you're only saying that because you want Lucy for yourself. What if Edo-Natsu goes home and Lucy falls for that flame-brain?"

"I can kick Natsu's ass without feeling like a lion beating up a chihuahua."

* * *

By noon, they were packed and ready. Natsu Dragion had extra fuel for the trip, and the trunk was so spacious, they did not even need to rent a cart for their supplies. They drove off, Natsu and Lucy in the front, Loke and Gray both scowling in the back.

They just hoped this would work.

**End of Chapter 24**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _If any of you are interested in my writing career, I started a Facebook group,[Rhov Anion's Minions](https://www.facebook.com/RhovAnionsMinions). I blog about what I learn regarding the writing profession, answer questions, keep up-to-date about novels I have in the works, as well as post spoilers for various fanfics and any fan art I get. Become a minion!_


	25. The Red Captain and the Blue King

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I know I vanished for six months. That is inexcusable. I also know this chapter is short. It is also not NaLu. Too bad._

Erza Knightwalker stomped through the decadent halls of Royal City's palace, pissed that Fairy Tail and Natsu Dragneel had once again escaped her clutches. Her armor rattled with her swift stride, and servants scurried out of her way as the red-headed captain glared hard enough to pierce steel.

She stormed into the massive royal library. She knew _he_ would be there. She never really thought of nobility as being scholarly, but Jellal read all the time. He had a chair just for him in the library, where he could sit with a book and lose himself in either histories or fantasies. Sometimes, she wondered if he was just trying to escape the reality of living in Edolas, recapture some of the fun he had in Earthland, with all of its magic.

Did he even like that he was back in the dimension where he was born? Did he regret coming home? Did he miss his Earthland friends?

The young king set his book down as the jangle of her armor filled the echoing ranks of books. His eyes were not like the men she commanded. Whether by nature or birth or upbringing, King Jellal had eyes that commanded respect. They could be gentle and forgiving, or they could easily turn sardonic and merciless. Yet always, no matter which side he showed, those eyes evoked a single universal thought: _here was a man whole ruled!_

"Captain," he said curtly. His voice was cool, almost cold, nonthreatening and yet so dangerous.

She marched up to him and dropped to a knee with her fist placed on the ground. "I've returned, your majesty."

"Without Natsu Dragneel, though," he noted sharply. "I sent you to fetch him, not joyride on your Legion with your fellow soldiers."

His harsh words made her grit her teeth, holding back words of frustration. Not just at him, but at her own failures. She was Fairy Hunter Erza Knightwalker! Fairies did not escape her! Yet this Earthland aberrant had managed to get out of her net again and again. She kept her head lowered only because she figured it was improper to snarl at one's king.

"I had sent scouts. They acted foolishly and alerted the dark guild. They might have killed one of the members."

"Which?" he asked sharply.

"Hell if I know!" She hated how he always sounded so worried about those Fairies. It was impossible to make Jellal see that these people were _nothing_ like the guild that had taken him in during his exile in Earthland. "Fairy Tail vanished before I could arrive onto the scene."

King Jellal looked harshly at her. "Again, captain? What excuse will you give me this time?"

She glared up from her knelt position. "I don't give _excuses_ ," she seethed. "I give _reasons_."

"And what is your reason for returning without your squadron?"

"One Fairy escaped before they transported out, possibly two. I know one was that spider woman, Wendy. I left the squad there to pursue."

"You left them?" he repeated coldly. "You decided not to lead a hunt for a homeless Fairy? That's unlike you."

"Our objective was Natsu Dragneel, not that spider. Capturing her would be a boon, but I stick to the mission. I knew I had to report this failure as soon as possible. My men were tired…" She stood, walked up to him, and stared into his eyes. Her caustic voice sweetened and whispered, "…and I was lonely."

Those commanding eyes softened, and so easily, they shifted from angry disappointment to tender happiness. "Erza," he whispered. They were alone here. Formalities could go to hell!

She sat on his lap and rested her head on his shoulder. Her short red hair fell partly into her face. "You're right. This is not like me. I used to thrive on hunting those Fairies. Now … I don't like leaving your side."

"I don't like sending you away." Jellal reached up and caressed his fingers over the cut to her cheek. "Some trouble?"

"The Fairies left us a present. They don't even run away without putting up a fight."

He leaned over and kissed the scab on her face. The way she scowled and looked away with a blush amused him. "I'm sorry to send you on these missions. You know I don't like sending you away from my side, but I can't trust anyone else. Back in Earthland, one of the only people who could beat Natsu was Erza Scarlet. That's why I have to send you."

"Excuses," she smirked.

"Reasons," he shot back.

"Can you delay them?" She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Come on, King. Give your captain a break."

He pouted, not liking the idea of making Fairy Tail wait even more, but he could hardly turn her down. "I have to call Makarov in Earthland this weekend. I'll ask for two more weeks. Since we don't know where Fairy Tail went, it very well could take two whole weeks to track them down again."

"I'll get started on it..." She sidled her body up against his. "...later!"

Jellal smirked at where this was going. "I should punish you."

"Oh?" she hummed sensually, dragging her nails over his neck and giving him shivers. "How will my king punish this inept captain?"

"Harshly," he sneered in lust. Jellal leaned up into her beguiling face. "And thoroughly!" he added in a threatening whisper.

She moaned slightly. Damn, she loved when he acted like the noble he was! In the whole world, no man dominated her. None but this man. With him and him alone, she was the subservient one. It was something she had never known before his arrival. She was used to being in charge, on top of things, even in her relationships (and she had experienced quite a variety before Edolas lost its magic). Then Jellal stepped in, rose above her, and the sheer power of his authority made her fall for him almost instantly. She could toss aside the armor only with him, bare naked her heart only to him. She trusted no man but her king.

Damn! Why did her king have to reciprocate? Now she was lost in those noble eyes and commanding voice.

"Erza," he whispered so tenderly, her whole body shivered with pleasure.

The attraction had been almost instantaneous. Actual passion took longer. Now, she fell into his arms and opened herself to his kisses. She could only be submissive to one man in all of Edolas: King Jellal.

**End of Chapter 25**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Love scene? It wouldn't work here, but I'm willing to write a side story. There is seriously not enough Edo-Jerza lemons out there._


	26. The Army Over the Mountain

Lucy stepped out of the car and stretched her arms above her head. Fireball Natsu's car might be quicker than a train, which had to make stops in every town, but at least on a train she could get up and walk around a little.

A full day with a lack of mobility seemed even more annoying to Gray and Loke as they climbed out of the backseat and worked out stiff muscles. On the other hand, Edo-Natsu stayed right where he was with his hands still on the steering wheel. He looked reluctant to leave now that he had transportation once again.

"Fireball, we need to..."

Gray put a hand on her shoulder. She jolted and looked around. Silently, Gray shook his head. She wondered what he meant.

"People know Natsu Dragneel," Loke explained. "This isn't the crazy Salamander all of Fiore knows."

"He's right," Gray said, trying to sound sympathetic. "We're about to meet our client. They hired two wizards, you and me. Loke is here as your Celestial Spirit. Dragion...sorry to say, but he shouldn't even be here."

Lucy bristled at that. "He has just as much right..."

Gray's voice rose. "He is _not_ a wizard, Lucy!"

"They're right." All of them looked over to the car as Edo-Natsu muttered. "I'm not Salamander, and I'm not a wizard. I shouldn't meet up with your client. They wouldn't understand, and it would tarnish Salamander's reputation." His narrow eyes gazed up to Lucy. "If our roles were reversed, and you were in Edolas, with people expecting Lucy Ashley, her attitude, her aggressiveness, wouldn't it be too weird for them to see a gentle princess like you?"

Although hearing him call her a princess made Lucy blush, she still wanted to protest. However, she knew he was right. As soon as he stepped out of that car, Edo-Natsu would go back to cowering behind her. Such timidity would look bad for Fairy Tail in general, but especially for Natsu Dragneel whenever he returned home.

"I'll drive around town, try to find a store that sells maps," Fireball suggested. "I'd like to study the road system in this area of Fiore. If that's okay with everyone," he added. "If not, I can stick around and drive you to the hotel once you're done."

"No," Gray said before Lucy could answer. "Sticking around for us will be boring. Go have fun." He smiled in a friendly way, although Lucy looked put off. She would have liked to cruise around town with Fireball after their meeting. Instead, she would have to spend that time walking to the hotel.

As the car drove off, Gray and Loke turned to the mansion of the man who hired them. Lucy watched the car leave until Gray called for her. She hated to admit it, but Gray was right. Natsu Dragion really could not be of much help on a mission that required the ability to use magic.

They sat around drinking tea in a posh parlor as they listened to the wealthy man give them the details of the mission. Lucy thought it sounded really hard. If the mission was this challenging, why didn't they bring Erza along, or...?

Or Natsu.

She thought it for one second before her heart fell slightly. She really was missing that destructive pyromaniac.

There was a baron with an army of his own. Fiore was doing nothing against him, since he was royalty, and since his army had killed no one so far. One by one, villages and small towns fell under the thralldom of this baron, purely out of fear of his army. The man who hired them was descended from the founder of this idyllic town, and over many generations his family had acquired quite a fortune mining a magical ore in the nearby mountain. Now the baron had his sights set on the mountain and its ore. He had plans to wipe out this quaint village and turn it into a full mining operation.

This man had been trying to work out some sort of deal with the baron. Even if they had to give away the mountain, he was not about to have all the people in the town lose their homes. Plus extensive mining would destroy the delicate wildlife that thrived on the mountain. The baron finally gave a long list of demands, which included yearly tribute in gold and the plutocrat had to give his only daughter over as a wife for the baron's son. Lucy bristled at the very idea, remembering when her own father had informed her of a marriage he arranged for the sake of business. As they spoke, a tiny head looked around a corner before a maid pulled her back. This daughter in question appeared to be no more than fourteen.

There was no question in Lucy's mind. They had to fight. However, it was them against a nobleman's army.

"If all else fails," the man said, "blockade the mine. Make it completely inaccessible. If he can't get at the ore, he has no reason to come here. We have no other things of value."

Gray looked thoughtful. "I could easily freeze a mine solid with ice, but up in the mountains, that ice won't melt for years, maybe decades. Your family would lose a lot of money."

The gentleman smiled at his concern. "I am ready to hand that mine over to this baron in order to save this town. We would have lost it anyway. What I refuse to lose is my family. No wealth can replace someone you love."

Lucy's head dropped as she thought about her father. "The world needs more parents like you."

It was a quiet walk to the hotel, and Loke went back home to rest up for what would be a tremendous fight.

"You do realize," Gray said, "with just the two of us, we might not be able to fight a whole army."

"I think he knows that, too," Lucy agreed. "That's why he said to block the mine. At any cost, we need to protect that girl and this town."

"I would almost suggest we block the mine now, and if we win, we'll just melt it later, but...that would take Natsu's flames."

Lucy pouted, realizing he was right. "We could really use him."

"I hate to say it," Gray grumbled, "but our team needs him." He glanced over to Lucy. She was biting her lip, looking conflicted. Gray felt bad for forcing her to see just how useless Edo-Natsu was on a guild mission. He equally hated admitting that, if Natsu was around, their plan for this mission would be completely different. Hell, with Natsu and Erza, they just might stand a chance against a whole army with just their small team. However, with just him and Lucy...no offense to Lucy, but Gray was really hoping this _royal army_ was just a band of inept thugs.

... They weren't.

When they reached the hotel, Edo-Natsu was not back yet. He returned late that evening, and his face looked grim.

"You two are not prepared for this mission," he said immediately. "It was a good thing I checked out the road to the baron's castle." His brow tensed. "You need to see this."

* * *

In the dead of night, Edo-Natsu drove them along a winding mountain road. Lucy saw the cliff, but it was so dark, she could not see a bottom. Fireball's eyes were narrow and hard as he took the road with probably too much speed for night driving in the mountains. Just before she could warn him about his speed, he slammed on the breaks.

"You can see it from here. Any closer and they might see the car lights."

Lucy and Gray stepped out and saw the lights of many fires burning around a castle. Gray was really hoping to find just a few dozen soldiers, or even a hundred mercenaries. What they saw was a whole estate filled with campfires, pavilions set up for hundreds of soldiers, maybe a thousand. Lucy got a chill just looking at it. It was obvious they were preparing to invade the town.

"We can't fight all of them," she realized. "Could we call Fairy Tail for reinforcements?"

"No time," Gray said grimly. "From the look of things, they're ready to march out tomorrow, and with that many, they probably won't take the town peacefully."

"That's definitely the case," Edo-Natsu said from the car. "They have horses and weapons ready. If you guys had taken a train here, you would've been too late."

Gray scowled, but for now he set that issue aside. "We'll freeze the mine now. Maybe we can evacuate the town before morning."

"Gray, all those people will lose their homes."

"Better than their lives!" he shouted.

"The only reason Fiore has done nothing against this baron is that his army hasn't killed anyone."

"No one has ever fought back."

"Because they couldn't. We can."

"Not against _that_!" he shouted, waving to the amassed army.

Edo-Natsu looked down at the castle thoughtfully. "There...is a way."

Lucy and Gray both looked back to him in surprise.

"I studied a map of the road system here. This mountain pass is the only route an army of that size could take. The road is narrow. We have a story in Edolas of ancient times, when a small band of three dozen elite soldiers held out against an army of many thousands by ambushing them on a mountain pass. You two have magic abilities that far surpass anything Edolas ever had. From what I saw of the weapons those soldiers are using, I don't think any of them can use magic like you guys can."

Loke appeared in a golden shimmer. "I think the three of us just might be worth three dozen soldiers. Forgive me, I sensed some of the conversation."

Edo-Natsu's eyes narrowed. "How could you _sense_ it?"

"When I'm really attuned to Lucy, I can hear her voice and sense what's going on in this world. I sensed trouble, and I heard some of what you guys were talking about."

Fireball glared, wondering what other times Loke might have listened in on Lucy.

"I can stay out here on my own magic. Lucy can call out Gemini, who can then also use two keys. That gives you three Celestial Spirits without nearly killing yourself. For an army like this, I suggest Sagittarius, Aquarius, and Scorpio. You'll get maximum mass damage from those three."

"If we just shove them off the cliff, people will die," Lucy protested.

"Aries can create a wool cushion at the base of the cliff. She doesn't have to stay out for that to remain in place. Between Gray's ice and the power of your Spirits, you two can prevent the army from crossing the mountain. Meanwhile, I'll fight my way to this bastard baron. Maybe if we take him out, the whole army will retreat."

"This could really work," Gray admitted. "Good thinking, Loke."

Lucy reached back into the car window and hugged Edo-Natsu. "Good job, Natsu."

Loke bristled. "Hey! I was the one who came up with the plan. You should be hugging me."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "It's a good plan, but if it wasn't for Natsu driving out here ahead of time to scout out the area, we never would have known about this. It was also his idea to use the mountain pass to our advantage."

"I...I would have suggested it," Loke protested stubbornly.

"Let's get back to town," Edo-Natsu suggested. "We'll have to wake up early if we're going to drive back here in the morning and have enough time to set up the ambush."

Loke vanished, and Lucy climbed into the car, with Gray sitting in the back. Edo-Natsu carefully backed the car around and drove down the mountain. In the glow of the dashboard, Lucy realized his face was still grim. It was the face of a man ready for battle.

**End of Chapter 26**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Wheels of Fire is two years old today. I posted the first chapter the same day I posted the final chapter of "Lion's Pride." Maybe writing 26 chapters in two years isn't all that impressive, but I'm happy where this story is going._


	27. A Name Overheard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I'm still dealing with a broken wrist. Thanks to the people who helped me out with getting this chapter finished. You guys are awesome!_
> 
>  
> 
> _While doing chapter research, I was slightly shocked to see that the man whose name in the manga scanlations was Purehito, is actually spelled "Precht." That is one heck of a change from the Romanji, but...okay!_  
>  _Purehito = Precht_

A man wearing a fiery red cloak slipped into a bar in some no-name Edolas town. Narrow eyes shifted one way, then the other. It was a smoky bar with twangy music playing from some strange device the hooded man did not recognize, not the clear music of magical lacrima recorders, but scratchy and coarse.

An elderly eye-patch-wearing bartender looked up from where he stood mindlessly wiping glasses behind a bar. "Come on in, stranger," he encouraged. "We don't get many visitors around here."

Those shifty eyes narrowed hard, and the hooded man whispered. "Hades?" Although this Edolas lookalike sported a friendly, beaming smile rather than a sadistic smirk, that voice, the lengthy white beard, and the eye patch were unmistakable.

"Hades? Nah. The name's Precht. Are you passing through?" the bartender asked.

"Uh...yeah. I don't plan on staying long."

"Well, help yourself to a menu. What can I get you to drink?"

"Just water for now," the hooded man said cautiously. He sat at the bar and took the offered paper menu with only ten choices of meals. He had not noticed a name outside of this bar, but now he saw it printed on the top of the menu. Grimoire Heart! His eyes flicked back up. "Precht...Gaebolg?"

"Eh? Nope, Precht Cúchulainn. Here's your water, mister." With a gentle smile, he set a glass down. "Take your time deciding. Things move slowly in this town, and so do I, haha!"

Those narrow eyes followed the old man warily. Hades! No, this was Edolas, where the man named Precht was a bartender in a hick town's only saloon called, of all things, Grimoire Heart. This whole dimension was seriously screwed up.

"Ya hiding?"

Sage green eyes flashed up in alarm.

"Ah, no need to get up in arms, sonny," the old bartender assured lightly. "It's hot out, yet you're wearing a cloak with the hood up. Sorry to say, but it's a tad obvious ya don't wanna show your face, hiding from someone. No worries. This here's a town where people just pass through, people who usually don't want to be seen in the big cities, and we don't mind what their business may be, so long as they don't cause trouble. We're such a small spitball of a town, we ain't got no police, just one sheriff who is over there." He nodded to a man passed out drunk across a table. "He ain't been sober in ten years and ain't arrested no one in twice that time."

"Bluenote," the hooded man whispered. He gazed around the saloon and saw others who had familiar faces. "Azuma. Rustyrose." His eyes narrowed at a face he would never forget. "Zancrow!"

He glared at the blond. He looked almost the same, but instead of wild spiky blond hair, his hair was smoothly held back in a ponytail, where it flared out in something like a spiked tail. He held a wineglass and swirled the red liquid while sniffing it in a refined way. It was obvious that this was a different sort of Zancrow.

Precht tilted his head. "Ya know 'em?"

He jolted, and when he did his hood fell back, exposing Natsu's pink hair. "Ah!" He yanked the hood back up.

Precht shrugged nonchalantly. "Like I said, ya stick out with the hood, and we don't care who you are out in the big world. Relax, stranger. This town is safe for anyone. Why, they even took in a wanted criminal like me."

Natsu jolted harder. "Wanted?"

Precht chuckled and leaned back against the alcohol shelf. "You'd never believe it, but I used to be the leader of a bona-fide dark guild."

"Fairy Tail," Natsu whispered. So, some things about this dimension really were the same. Precht Gaebolg had been the second master of Fairy Tail back in Earthland.

"Oh, ya heard of 'em? They're far more infamous now than they were back in my day, especially after that whole fiasco some years back in Royal City, King Faust attacking the Exceed, the Great Demon Lord something-or-other stealing all of our magic, and Fairy Tail right in the midst of things."

Natsu turned his head down and chuckled. "Yeah, that was something!"

"It didn't bother us much out here," Precht shrugged lackadaisically. "This town never had much magic to begin with. We lost our icebox, but that's about it."

Natsu looked around again. It was obvious that this was no trap. His pink hair would have given him away in an instant. Precht, despite who Natsu thought he looked like, exuded an aura of relaxation, like a friendly grandfather more than an evil mastermind. The others looked content, bored, unconcerned by the troubles of life outside of this town. This was the sort of place where a person could vanish, and likely nobody in the outside world would ever hear of them again.

"Know what ya wanna eat yet?" Precht asked. "The fish-n-chips are really good."

Natsu looked back down to the menu and frowned. He pulled out a pouch of money he happened to have earned by helping an old lady get her cat out of a tree. Natsu was good with cats, at least. He set the tiny pouch on the bar.

"What will this get me?"

Precht fingered through the coins. "Not much. Is that all ya got?"

"I didn't really leave prepared," he muttered.

"It happens. Tell ya what, sonny. Soup's on the house, and you keep the money. Money begets more money, they say, so maybe that penance will get ya something."

Natsu grinned with excitement. Free food! "Wow, thanks Hades."

"Really, don't call me Hades. The dog's name is Hades."

Natsu had smelled the dog, but now he saw the ugliest excuse for a canine plopped into a lump on the wood floor, right next to a brown goat and a massive chicken.

Precht left and came back in no time with a bowl of soup. "It's been sitting in the crock, but it's still hot. Eat up, sonny."

Natsu happily dug in, eating the soup and slurping the broth. Precht chuckled as he refilled that bowl three times. At his table, the drunken Bluenote lifted his head for only a moment. His unfocused eyes saw pink hair, and he moaned "Dragion?" Then he collapsed back hard onto the table, splashing out some beer from a mug he had been drinking.

As Natsu ate, suddenly he saw blond hair to his side.

"Yo, Precht," Zancrow called out. "Another god slayer."

Natsu choked and tried to swallow down his soup while coughing. "God...slayer?"

Zancrow looked down to the pink-haired man in a red cloak. "It's a drink old Precht makes. Crazy name, but it's my favorite. You should try it. Black, fiery, really burns you up inside." He laughed and slapped Natsu on the back.

Natsu stiffened, fighting the instinct to attack this man who, in another dimension, had been an enemy and challenging opponent. Of all places in Edolas, why did he have to end up in a bar filled with members of Grimoire Heart?

"Hade-...uh, Precht," Natsu said cautiously. "How close am I to Royal City?"

"Heading to the capitol, eh?" the old man said. "Is that your tanchimo out there?"

Natsu looked back to the purple animal. "Y-yeah, kinda."

"Riding a tanchimo, it'll still take you a week along the main highway."

"Royal City," Zancrow hummed. "I've been there. I know the place well. I could take you there. I know some good routes if you want to avoid any authorities."

"Really?" Natsu grinned. If Zancrow in Earthland was a bad guy, that meant this Edo-Zancrow was a good guy. Perhaps he was trustworthy after all. "That'd be great."

"Zancrow," Precht said in a low warning.

The blond's hand slithered around Natsu's shoulder. "It'll be fun, right? Two men out for an adventure. Someone who knows the way, someone you can talk to..." His fingers caressed along Natsu's collarbone. "...a partner to keep you company on the lonely road."

Natsu felt weirdly uncomfortable. "Well, I don't want to leave right now," he admitted. "I've been really tired. Got no strength anymore. I almost collapsed this morning."

"Poor guy," Zancrow soughed, rubbing Natsu's arm in comfort, but letting his fingers stroke a little too intimately. The blond ogled Natsu up and down and licked his lips lightly. "You're not from these parts, right?"

Natsu rolled his eyes. "You could say that, for sure!"

Zancrow scooted in closer. "Have you got a place to stay? You're low on money, right? If you're gonna stay in town for a few days, you need a place to sleep. I have a nice little house on the edge of town, plenty of room, clean, quiet...private." He ended with a seductive wink.

Natsu leaned back. This Zancrow was really different from the insane man he had fought on Tenrou Island. "How much?"

"Free, of course, darling," Zancrow smirked, shrugging widely in an affable way. He eyed Natsu up and down again, smiling at what he saw. "Unless you want to compensate me... _other_ ways."

Natsu thought about it, oblivious to the way Zancrow's fingers were playing through his pink hair. "I could work around the house. I'm pretty strong."

"Ehihihi! I bet you are," Zancrow purred.

Precht slammed a drink down between them and glared at Zancrow. "He'll be staying here. Take your drink and go bother someone else."

The blond removed his hand from Natsu, took the tumbler of black alcohol, and went back to his table.

Precht shook his head. "You're a real naïve one, sonny."

Natsu glanced up in confusion. "Eh? He seemed willing to help."

"I'm sure he'd take you in, feed you, pamper you, might even really show you all the way to Royal City, but you'd be paying for it every night...with your body!"

Natsu tilted his head. "I said I'm real strong."

Precht could hardly help but laugh. "You really are clueless." He leaned over the bar and whispered. "Zancrow will do just about anything for a night of fun."

"I like having fun. Maybe we could play games or challenge one another to arm wrestling."

Precht stared hard at him. How obtuse was this young man? "I mean _sex_ , idiot."

Natsu stared blankly. Slowly, his face turned pink, then red. "Him?" he shouted. He looked back to Zancrow, who was sitting with Rustyrose. The blond gave Natsu a wave and a wink. Natsu turned back around with a mortified face. "Zancrow just...just _flirted_ with me? A guy like _him_?"

Precht looked confused. "Do you know him?"

Natsu glared at the wild-eyed blond. "I knew someone very much like him."

"Is he your type?"

"No!" Natsu gulped down his water to cool off his frustration. "This place is so messed up," he grumbled. "Hey, I hate to eat and run, but I need to make it to Royal City."

"I thought you needed to rest."

"I do, but...well, no offense, but this place, Grimoire Heart...it's just...I don't think I should stay here."

Precht nodded solemnly, remembering what it was like to be a fugitive on the run. "You do what ya gotta do. I wish you luck, sonny. How about I pack you a sandwich for the road? There ain't another town in a day's ride."

"That's awesome. Oh, and take the money," Natsu insisted. "Otherwise I'd feel bad."

"You're a good kid," Precht chuckled.

Natsu watched the eye-patch-wearing old man. It was so hard to imagine this kind and caring guy was Edolas' version of Hades. They could not be any more different from one another. Maybe this was how Precht was back when he was the guild master of Fairy Tail, before darker ways and forbidden magic twisted him.

While Precht was back in the kitchen, two more men entered the saloon. They were talking loudly already as they walked in. Natsu cautiously pulled his hood back up, just in case.

"Woo-wee! We were close that time, Zoldeo. Real close."

"Yeah, Kain. Almost had him. Hey, Zancrow! Getting drunk on that god-awful _god slayer_ drink again?"

"Zoldeo! Kain!" Zancrow hailed, waving them to come over to his table. "Are you back from your chase?"

Zoldeo sat heavily on a chair. "Yeah, almost had him. That guy is a slippery bastard. He was _right there_ , but he sped away. Nearly ran me over!"

Kain declared, "We will get him for sure. Patience and determination shall prevail!"

Natsu picked up his glass of water and took a lingering sip, using the cup to hide part of his face as he turned and glanced back. The one named Zoldeo he did not particularly recognize, but Natsu guessed he had been a member of Grimoire Heart in Earthland, too. The man named Kain made Natsu spit his drink out.

Natsu remembered the man who had fought him and Lucy on Tenrou Island, using his _Ushi no Koku Mairi_ magic and that stupid doll to make them act to his will. However, Natsu was expecting to see the obese, towering, chalk white skinned villain wearing a speedo and cape. Although Edo-Kain was still incredibly pale, he was thin, muscular, a dashing hunk with wavy black hair and an aura of brilliance wherever he went.

"We do it in the name of justice," Kain declared, and Natsu swore he sparkled. It was incredibly annoying.

Zancrow ran a hand up the pale man's arm. "That's so sexy, Kain!"

Zoldeo called over to the bar. "Precht! I want a capricorn cocktail."

"Coming up!" the old man shouted. He returned with a paper bag for Natsu. "A sandwich to hold you over, sonny."

"Are they searching for someone?" Natsu asked. If somebody from Fairy Tail was in danger, he wanted to help, even if this was Edolas' guild.

"It was quite something," Precht nodded. "This crazy man rode into town, just another stranger passing through, we thought. Next thing we know, he stole Zoldeo's money and a load of food from my kitchen. It wasn't that big of a deal, but theft is theft. Kain there," he said, nodding to the thin, pale man, "is aiming to be sheriff whenever Bluenote retires. He decided to chase after the thief."

"Who was it?"

Kain stood up and dramatically declared, "He's the first person in twenty years to bother this town. Bluenote deputized me, so it is my solemn duty to find the thief and bring him to justice!" His hand covered his face in mock humbleness, and Natsu swore stars twinkled all around Kain's head. "No unrepentant criminal shall escape Kain Niteo."

Zancrow laughed. "Idiot. He wanted to know who he was, not hear a speech." Zancrow walked back up to Natsu and draped an arm around him. This time, instead of ignoring the closeness, Natsu tried to pull away. "Well, darling, if you're leaving immediately, I can still guide you to the city."

"It's fine," Natsu muttered, staring into those flirtatious red eyes. This was definitely way too weird.

"That's too bad. I didn't even get your name."

Natsu knew he could not give his real first name, or people might connect him to that crazy Fairy Tail driver. He could not even use just his last name, since he has posed at the Great Demon Lord Dragneel that one time. So he blurted out the next name to come to mind.

"Igneel."

Glasses thumped to tables, and everyone looked over in shock. Natsu gazed around worriedly. Here he was, in the core of Grimoire Heart, and every single member looked ready to turn on him.

"Igneel?" Rustyrose asked slowly.

The drunken Bluenote lifted his head. "I thought he was familiar. It's the hair. Dragion."

"Dragion?" Natsu asked sharply. "Igneel...Dragion?" He shoved aside Zancrow and raced over to Bluenote's table. "Oy, old man! What's this about Igneel? Do you know him?" However, Bluenote suddenly passed out again, reeking of booze.

"What is your relationship to Igneel?" Kain asked suspiciously.

Natsu felt his heart racing. Igneel! These people knew Igneel! "I've been searching for him for years. Where is he?"

Zoldeo chuckled. "You have pink hair like him. Are you maybe Igneel's bastard son that he abandoned, come back for revenge?"

Natsu grabbed the man's collar and lifted him up. "Don't you dare call me a bastard, you bastard! Now, where the hell is Igneel?"

"If you can find him, you can arrest him," Kain said with that pretentious glow around him again. "It was he who stole from this town. We chased him south, but ten leagues from here we lost his trail. Justice must be served!"

"So he's close, and to the south," Natsu said. Igneel! Here! Maybe it was a different Igneel, but he still really wanted to see his adopted father again.

Natsu grabbed the paper bag with a sandwich, tucked it into a saddle bag, climbed onto the tanchimo named Yusō, and shouted for him to go. They galloped off in a rush, heading south.

Zancrow stepped out and watched the red cloak fluttering with wild pink hair blowing in the wind as Natsu rode off. "That darling was a real cutey. I feel a burning flame inside my chest. Oh, my heart! I think I'm in love."

Precht walked out and whacked Zancrow across the head. "Learn to control yourself, Zanny. I wonder if that boy really is old Igneel's kid. I met the two many years back, passing through this town, that insane driver and his bratty son. I always felt sorry for the boy. Especially with a father that awful."

Zancrow looked over in surprise. "He just stole a bit of money and rice."

"Oh, trust me, Zanny. Igneel Dragion has done a lot worse than theft." Precht's brow tightened, and his hand drifted up to the patch on his eye. "A _lot_ worse!"

**End of Chapter 27**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Hades, AKA Precht Gaebolg, was the master of Grimoire Heart. His last name comes from the Gáe Bulg ("Spear of Mortal Pain") which was owned by Cúchulainn in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. So for Edolas' Precht, I gave him the last name Cúchulainn instead. "Gae Bolg" (_ ゲイボルグ _) is also a weapon that reoccurs in the Final Fantasy series, which is likely where Hiro Mashima got the name, since he is a hardcore gamer._
> 
> _Kain's appearance is based on how this sumo-wrestling-appearing giant looked to Aries in his own imagination: a thin, hot bishie with strong, manly features. Also, his Earthland name is Kain Hikaru. Hikaru means "to shine." For his Edolas last name, I picked Niteo, which is Latin for "to shine." Same meaning, different languages._
> 
> _I blame SrngDrgn and her current obsession with ZanTsu for having Zancrow act the way he is, haha!_


	28. A Part of Two Worlds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _A huge thanks to Mary Allen for her assistance in planning the following battle scenes._

Dawn was just peeking over the tips of the mountains, setting the white snow ablaze in pink that reminded Lucy of a certain Dragon Slayer. She could not think about him at this time, though, although he was often in her thoughts, more often than she liked to admit. For now, time was critical and focus was needed. If she let herself slip away into worries of her missing fire-breathing idiot, she might not live long enough to welcome him back.

They were on the crest of a cliff looking down at the narrow mountain pathway. From here, they had a good view down the path, but the approaching army would be blinded both by the steep terrain and a hairpin curve in the road. On the other side of the path was another cliff, leading to a ten meter drop. Maybe someone could survive a fall of that distance, but Lucy did not want to be responsible for so many deaths. She had two keys in her hands.

"Open the Gate of the Ram! Aries! Open the Gate of the Twins! Gemini!"

Two at once was still a huge drain, one she was not fully used to. The pink lamb and the round-headed alien creatures poofed out and greeted her with a mix of "I'm sorry" and "Piri-piri."

"Aries, your wool cushion can last beyond your leaving right?" Lucy asked, just to be sure.

"It will degrade with time, I'm sorry," she explained nervously, "but yes, it can last up to an hour after I'm sent back. I can make more wool if you call me out."

"Thank you. Gray, how close are they?"

Gray used a small mirror of ice to reflect a coded signal further down the mountain, where Loke was already out on his own magic and acting as a lookout. Seven small but faintly visible bursts of starlight shined down the way.

"Seven minutes," Gray told her.

"Aries, go to the base of the cliff and create wool all along the edge so we don't kill the soldier. Gray, ready?"

He had been saving up his energy in meditation. "Not yet. I shouldn't do it until they are right below us. Element of surprise."

"But you said this will drain you."

"It did last time I tried the spell. That was before Ultear gave us that power-up."

"I'll leave it to you, then. Gemini."

The twins swirled together, and in a poof they became Lucy.

"I … wait … _Why are you dressed like that?_ " Gemini was wearing a tiny tank top shirt and Kawaii Kitty panties, nothing else.

"Last time we touched you, this is what you were wearing, so of course this is how we will look, piri-piri."

"Change now!" she demanded. They touched her, and instead the Twins formed into an exact replica, wearing brown shorts and a green blouse. "Better!"

"Who first, master?" the Lucy-lookalike asked.

"There is a stream just down that path. Call out Aquarius using the water and bring her here."

"You know she hates to travel away from water," Gemini warned worriedly.

"Which is why after Aries is done, I'm calling out Scorpio. That should make her obedient."

Gemini tittered that Lucy had figured out Aquarius' one weakness. "Shall we call a second Celestial Spirit?"

"Yes. Sagittarius. Can you manage two?"

"I have the same strength as you. If you can manage two, so can I. However, my magic is limited to your magic. If you get hit or grow weak, I can disappear."

"I understand."

Gray spoke up, "Which is why you need to stay down and keep safe, Lucy."

They had already argued about this many times while planning this battle. "I don't cower while my Spirits fight."

"As admirable as that is, if you're hurt, I'm screwed. I need you to stay safe so the others can fight alongside me. If you get knocked out, then we'll have no wool to save the soldier, no Scorpio to fight, and no Gemini, so that means no Aquarius or Sagittarius. If we lose you, we lose three of our five fighters."

As much as Lucy knew he was right, she still hated the idea of hiding and protecting herself while others fought.

Gray laughed and rumpled her hair, much to Lucy's annoyance. "It's fine. Your fight is to keep enough energy and protect me in case any soldiers sneak around the back and find us up here. Leave the mountain path to me and your Spirits. Trust in us."

Gemini yanked Lucy into a hug. "Yes, trust the strength of your Celestial Spirits, piri-piri."

Lucy smiled awkwardly at both of them. "Hearing myself saying _piri-piri_ is really weird."

Aries made her way to the bottom of the cliff, formed a massive cushion of pink wool, and then vanished. As soon as Lucy sensed she had gone, she called out Scorpio, who was laughing already, eager to fight. Gemini left to the stream and came back with an irately peeved Aquarius. The mermaid had fire in her eyes, ready to murder someone, until she saw Scorpio. Suddenly, the flames became hearts. The two snuggled together as Gemini also called out Sagittarius, and then the Twins sat beside Lucy behind a rock, out of the way of any arrows that could threaten them.

They heard the army coming Loke had scouted ahead and found three hundred marching up the mountain. However, there was no sign of the baron leading this force. He was probably still in his castle, not bothering to fight and do the dirty work of conquering such a small village. That meant Loke would have to wait until the army passed, sneak around behind them, make his way into the castle, and attack the baron in his own fortress. It was no easy task, but for Lucy, he was willing to fight half an army.

He shot up a signal from his ring as he saw the troops making the final curve before reaching the path where Gray and Lucy laid in wait. Then Loke took off, loping down the mountain through the woods, an animal out on the hunt. He had to trust Gray and the others to protect his precious Lucy.

Gray peered over the edge of the cliff, waiting for the perfect moment to start the attack. They heard the marching boots, the rattle of weapons, and the mutters of the troops complaining about the long march up the mountain so early in the morning. Right as the front guard came directly under Gray's perch, he clapped his hands together.

"Ice-Make: Rampart!"

A massive wall of ice shot up, thick enough to withstand a battering ram, high enough to reach his perch on top of the cliff. The soldiers came to a sharp halt, and calls echoed back through the squad to stop. Then behind the army, another wall of ice crackled up high, blocking their retreat. They were trapped between the two ramparts, but because they were on a bend, the front could not see what was happening in the back, and the back did not understand why the front had stopped. Confusion and tempers instantly flared amongst the troops. Right under the Fairy Tail wizards, the front leader walked cautiously up to the ice and knocked on it.

"Magic?" he wondered aloud, and his eyes widened. "Crap!"

Before he could shout that it was an ambush, Gray hollered:

"NOW!"

A massive waterfall flowed over the edge of the cliff, sweeping away dozens in the first blast. Any Aquarius missed, Scorpio shot off with his sand. Within the army, panic set in, they realized they had come under attack, and archers prepared their bows. Before they could nock an arrow, Sagittarius pegged them off.

Gray had to rest. Rampart used up a lot of magic, but after just a couple minutes, he rolled over to the edge of the cliff with a bow of ice and joined in with the Archer. The frozen arrows blasted into the soldiers, instantly encasing them in ice, and they fell over the cliff with a look of shock on their frozen faces.

The road right under them was wet, sandy, and devoid of soldiers. Down below, the army landed on the wool, either unconscious from the attack or eased into a stupor from the fluffiness of the pink cushion they found themselves on.

"Second wave: incoming!" Gray shouted.

The army was on a curve. Those behind could not see what awaited them around the bend, and so they rushed forward, thinking it was a head-on battle. Instead, they were stunned to see their path blocked with ice and walked right into the ambush. Dozens more were swept away with water, sand, and arrows.

In under twenty minutes the army had been defeated. Lucy and Gemini hugged one another, Sagittarius neighed, Aquarius and Scorpio gave each other a kiss, but Gray looked worried.

"That was too easy."

Lucy swished her keys and sent her Celestial Spirits home. "It was only easy because we planned this really well."

"No, I mean … this guy has a massive army. Why send only three hundred?"

"It's a small village," she reasoned. "Come on, Gray. We're strong! Admit it." She laughed and punched him in the shoulder playfully.

He laughed with awkwardness. "Maybe so. Perhaps we're too strong. Enemies aren't any fun anymore."

"You're sounding like Natsu."

The Ice-Make wizard's eyes went sad. "Natsu … I wonder how he would have fought this."

"Head on, recklessly, probably destroy half the mountain."

Gray laughed as he realized she was right. Still, he missed that sort of wild battle. This was so well executed, it left him feeling like something was wrong.

"We should head over to Loke," Lucy suggested. "He could probably use help with that army around the castle."

"That's true." Gray undid the Rampart spell.

That was when they saw, those three hundred were nothing more than a vanguard. Lucy gasped as she saw a massive army filling the road all the way down the mountain, thousands of troops.

"Oh … shit," Gray muttered.

Lucy looked over to him in a panic. There was no way they could defeat something that huge.

"Block them again, Gray."

"Rampart takes a lot of magic. If I do it again, I can't fight."

"We can't let them pass through. They'll destroy the village."

"Dammit," he gritted, digging in deep to pull out enough magic. His hair fluttered as a frosty aura surrounded him. "Ice-Make: Rampart!"

It was only one wall, but it blocked the mountain pass. The army raised weapons, and blasts of green magic fired up at them. Gray was hit in the shoulder and stomach, burning holes through his coat and shirt. He immediately fell to his knees in pain and threw off the clothes. His skin had been burned by the blasts, but he was not bleeding.

"Gray!" Lucy cried out, kneeling beside him.

"I'm fine," he hissed, putting a little ice over the burn blasts. "I've been scorched worse by Natsu."

Lucy realized that Gray looked like he was in a lot more pain than he was letting on. Maybe the shots did not pierce, and the burns did not bleed, yet she realized that he was unable to move his right arm just below the hit. Was it a paralyzing magic? She looked over the edge, but more green blasts shot up at them. She screamed and pulled back.

"The Rampart will hold until it melts," Gray said, holding his injured stomach. "I made it so it won't shatter even if I go unconscious. We need to get out of here, Lucy."

She heard someone from the army shout, "Up that side path. They're above! Kill them!"

"They're coming," she said in dread. She pulled out another Gold Key. "Open the Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!"

The Bull poofed in front of her. "Mooo! What can I do for your boobs, Lucy?"

She pointed to where they heard marching boots clattering. "There's a path leading up here. Block it, Taurus. Block them for as long as you can. We need to figure out how to escape."

"I'll protect your nice body!" he declared, and the Bull charged with his battle ax raised, swinging at the soldiers making their way up the winding path to their lookout perch.

"What do we do?" she asked frantically.

"They can't make it by this route. They'd have to go back and find an alternate road. Our best bet is to rejoin with Loke. If we can end the baron, the army would have no reason the attack the village."

"But how do we make it down the mountain if you're injured?"

Gray cursed and forced himself to stand. "We make it! I won't let that village fall."

Just then, they heard the roar of an engine. A car bounced over the rocky terrain and came to a skidding stop beside them. The door swung open, and Fireball Natsu grinned deviously at them.

"Need a ride?"

Gray sighed in relief. "For once, I'm glad to see that pink hair."

Lucy helped Gray into the car. She closed Taurus' gate, and the vehicle drove off under a rain of magic blasts, swerving recklessly down a rough path.

"I spent the morning checking alternate hiker paths, exploring the terrain, and I found something that will almost fit the car," Fireball explained as he focused on driving.

"Almost fit?" Lucy asked, not liking the idea.

"I need to ask a favor." He looked over to Lucy. "Can your bull with that big ax chop down two trees? If I can squeeze past that part, I can make it all the way down the mountain without using the main road."

"Got it!" she nodded.

* * *

Loke had expected to see the castle with the army around it. When he had scouted ahead, he saw the three hundred soldiers leaving. However, when he arrived now, the thousands he had expect were not there. He heard the rumble of an army up the mountain and cursed that he had not thought that the baron might send only a vanguard, and then the whole army.

He had half a mind to rush back to Lucy and Gray, but there was no time. He was about to send up a flare, hoping direly that it would warn them, but he realized he was too far away. Likely, Gray and Lucy were fighting by now. They would never see the flare, and it might give away Loke's location. In the end, he could do nothing but continue on, hoping to put an end to this battle by defeating the main bad guy.

Thanks to the absence of the army, his fight was easier. There were only the usually palace guards, most of them fat and lazy. Loke fought swiftly through outer guards, made it inside the palace, and took out a few surprised soldiers. Luckily, the palace had mostly maids…

Too many maids. Extremely sexy maids! What a perverted baron!

Loke half expected these maids must be battle-trained, but to his luck, every one of them screamed at the fighting and ran away, or stood to the side trembling and begging not to be hurt. Loke grinned suavely to each one, making them melt and sink to the floor weakly, overwhelmed by the Lion's charms.

Weak palace guards, flighty maids: seriously, this baron was way too over-confident.

And that worried Loke. Powerful men were often haughty for a reason.

He reached out to one exquisitely divine maid, a woman who could have rivaled Mirajane for bodily perfection, and took her trembling hand, kissing it gallantly. "My dear, where can I find your boss?"

Smitten into silence, she pointed down the hall, toward double doors. Loke smiled his most charming grin.

"I owe you a date. Come to Magnolia some day, ask for me at Fairy Tail … and I'll show you heaven!"

She gasped and fainted with a smile on her face.

Loke stalked over to the double doors, prepared for battle. This man was a baron. The royal family of Fiore tended to have affiliations with Celestial Spirit magic. If he left his palace this undefended, Loke assumed he must have some power to him, enough to make him confident. His shaded eyes turned serious as he prepared for a fight.

He kicked open the doors and saw a massive dining hall, big enough to host elaborate parties. Inside was merely one table, although dozens could have fit. It was long, narrow, with only one setting on the far end. A man sat there, much younger than Loke had figured. He was expecting some old, greedy geezer. Instead, the man was in his prime, dark hair, eyes like black flames, a chiseled face with a goatee only showing a few silver hairs.

He paused in his meal, being served by a woman who made the one Loke had just flirted with look completely ordinary. This woman was an angel, no question. She was busty, blond, golden waves of thick hair draping to her hips, a flawless face with large, crystal blue eyes with emerald rims. There was no way she could be human, not with features that perfect.

"Are you the one causing a ruckus?" the baron asked in a low, smooth voice.

Loke placed his focus back on the nobleman. "You're trying to destroy a village my master cares for."

"Your master?" the man mused, dabbing his mouth with a napkin.

The maid spoke, and her voice was like music. "He is Leo the Lion, my lord."

"Leo? I see. Greetings, Leader of the Zodiac Spirits. I am Baron Aiteal Fiore, cousin of King Toma Fiore and master of this castle."

"Show respect," the maid said venomously to Loke.

The ginger glanced at her again, and his eyes narrowed. "You're … Andromeda! I barely recognize you in that outfit. I must say, Andy," he chuckled, "a maid uniform suits you much better than your usual topless costumes."

"You're only saying that because you were always looking at my breasts and never at my face," Andromeda chided with a hint of spite. "You're a beast, Leo. Some women don't _like_ to be ogled."

"Says the lady who walks around the Spirit World half nude," he muttered.

"What I wear or don't wear should not influence how people treat me. It's only pigs like you that make such a big deal about it, forcing women to always be covered up or else it's somehow _our_ fault that you're aroused at the sight of flesh. If you're too distracted by breasts that it took you this long to even recognize my face, then perhaps it is you who has a problem, not me and my choice in attire."

"Or lack of it," he shot back. "So why are you wearing a blouse now?"

"My master is a man of propriety and honor. He insists that I dress according to the customs of the noble Fiore family. I obey my master … explicitly!" she said sharply. Then to the baron, she asked, "Shall I see him out, my lord?"

"I don't think he'll leave without a fight. Can you win, Andromeda?"

"Likely not. Leo is the most powerful in terms of physical agility and magical strength."

"I see," Baron Aiteal said solemnly. "Then this is a battle of strategy versus physical prowess." He pulled out a key, swished it, and Andromeda vanished. "I will warn you, Lion: my battle strategy is second only to the king's top general. That's how I've managed to create my own little empire right under the nose of my dear cousin the king."

"Your strategy has one glaring flaw," Loke smirked. "My master is busy defeating your army."

"Do you mean the three hundred I sent to fool whoever that rich village idiot might hire to protect his fortune?" Aiteal simpered softly. "I assume since it's you, your master is Lucy Heartfilia. Oh yes," he said when Loke's eyes narrowed, "I watched the Grand Magic Games. I know her power. The daughter of my old friend Layla Heartfilia _should_ be powerful enough to wield a wily one such as you."

Loke jolted. "You knew Lucy's mother?"

Aiteal shrugged lightly. "I'm a baron. Of course I knew a family as powerful as the Heartfilias. I even met Lucy herself a few times, although I seriously doubt she remembers me. One more face in a sea of aristocracy. Her father approached me a few times about a potential marriage, but I thought I should focus on my military goals and not let a silly thing like family responsibility get in the way. If I can secure this mine, perhaps I'll seek out the orphaned Heartfilia girl and offer her the honor of bearing me children."

Loke growled at him. "Like hell!" He grabbed his wrist and powered up. "Regulus Beam!"

Baron Aiteal swished a key. "Perseus, deal with this."

A young soldier appeared in a puff of smoke and instantly held up a reflective shield. The light of Regulus bounced off it and went right back to Loke. It hit him square in the chest and slammed him against the wall. Before Loke could shake out the pain, Perseus had a sword drawn and was charging at him. Loke ducked, just barely missing a swing right at his neck.

"Strategy, Mister Lion," Baron Aiteal said listlessly as the fight began. "Know the fighting style of your enemy. Anticipate it. Prepare ahead of time for it. My spies told me that foolish Provost Bluebell had asked for help. It wasn't that hard to find out who agreed to the mission: two wizards of Fairy Tail. A spy in the village told me their descriptions. It's easy enough to figure it out when they describe a black-haired man walking around shirtless and a busty blonde."

Loke swung a punch at Perseus, but the agile man leaped back. When Loke thrust another burst of light, Perseus deflected it with the mirror shield. This time, Loke ducked, and the beam of light blasted the wall behind him.

"I knew that if Lucy Heartfilia wanted to fight my vanguard, she would call upon her strongest weapon to go after me. That, of course, is you, Leo the Lion. I figured she would keep you nearby. I fitted the front rank of the main army with weapons that would have utterly immobilized a Celestial Spirit like you, and partially paralyzed any humans in case she brought along her friends. However, I realized there was a slim chance she would be stupid enough to completely underestimate my military genius and send you ahead to fight me on your own. I prepared for that contingency, as well."

Loke aimed a few more blows to Perseus, but he knew from sparring with this Celestial Spirit back home, he was a skilled fighter. Truly, with that mirror shield, Perseus was one of the worst Celestial Spirits for Loke to be pitted against. It was the perfect defense against Loke's light magic.

"I purchased Perseus' key yesterday at a hefty price. See, I came to this fight prepared, Leo the Lion."

Loke barely managed to block Perseus' sword by using his own Regulus ring. Although that particular ring was indestructible, just a fraction off and his hand would have been sliced in half by the weighty blade. The ring took the blow and flashed golden with magic. Perseus was flung backwards, and since his shield was not up, the golden light blinded him. That gave Loke enough time to get in a few well-placed kicks.

"You will fall," the baron predicted. "By now, your master is either captured or running for her life. My army will reach Bluebell Village before nightfall, and by tomorrow the entire region will be under my control. Once I have that mine, I can easily purchase enough mercenaries to contend with my foolish cousin."

"Are you saying your goal isn't the wealth, but the kingship itself?" Loke asked while delivering another blow to Perseus.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so bold as to usurp our beloved idiot king," Baron Aiteal chuckled, taking a sip from his wine goblet. "His privilege is that his father happened to be older than my father. People love him; his family cherishes him. It's not easy to plot against a person like that. What is best for a man like me is acknowledgment, maybe a bit of autonomy."

"You plan to _threaten_ King Toma into doing this!" Loke shouted.

"I plan to show him that defying me would not be in the best interest of this kingdom."

Loke's fist lit up golden. "O Regulus, grant me your strength," he prayed. Perseus raised his shield, expecting another light attack. Instead, just as it seemed like Loke would use Regulus Beam again, his left fist went flying forward, smashing into the mirror shield and shattering it. Perseus watched in shocked horror as his mirror broke into pieces.

"Seven years bad luck," the baron muttered.

"That's a mere month in the Spirit World," Loke said as he sadly watched Perseus fading away now that he had lost his main source of celestial power. "A month I would gladly sacrifice to protect my master." He turned to Baron Aiteal. "Personally, I don't really care about human politics. Who rules Fiore is of very little consequence to a Celestial Spirit. However, King Toma happens to have one hot babe of a daughter, whereas I heard that you want to marry some preteen. That's just sick, man!"

"Do you mean Provost Bluebell's heiress?" Aiteal waved the idea aside. "I thought it would be an easier way to win over the Bluebell family. I really don't care for that sort of girl. I would have married her and sent her away to live in some summer cottage down south for the next five to ten years. I don't have much use for a wife who can't even carry on the Fiore legacy until she matures."

"Another reason to stop you right here. You see women as tools." Loke's eyes narrowed. "I know way too well what it feels like to have someone see you as nothing more than a tool. It's a horrible feeling. Celestial Spirits are not tools to be used and abused; and women are not tools for men like you to use at your leisure. The way you just bought Perseus purely as a tool: that's sick! The way you would marry some terrified child just to secure a fortune: _sick!_ "

"Family ties and loyalty to friends are all a weakness to those in power."

"Wrong! A true gentleman honors the lives of others, be they men, women, Spirits, all living things!" Loke's fists lit up in cold anger. "A true leader should know such a basic rule. You call yourself a baron, but perhaps you need a lesson in nobility from the King of Beasts and Leader of the Ecliptic Zodiacs. Regulus," he smirked, lifting his fist and letting the power build under his feet, sending his suit coat fluttering, "let's teach this man what the Star King is like. Regulus Supernova!"

A massive golden blast built up and roared from Loke's ring. Just as the attack went hurtling through the dining hall aimed right at Aiteal, there was a puff of smoke. Andromeda suddenly appeared right in front of the baron, arms spread to protect her master.

"No!" Loke screamed in horror. "Andy, move!"

She closed her eyes tightly as the attack struck her dead on. Loke looked in horror as it tore apart her body. Silver particles floated into the air as she began to fade. However, she managed to look around to Aiteal.

"Are you safe, master?" she rasped out.

"You did well, Andromeda," he smiled. "Rest for now."

"Thank … you … my lord," she cringed as she faded away.

Loke still looked horrified that he had hurt her so badly. "Andy," he whispered.

Aiteal dabbed his lips with a napkin. "Don't blame yourself, Leo."

Loke snapped out of his guilt and sneered at the baron.

"And don't you dare accuse me of using her as a shield," he added in, staring straight at the Lion. "As you can see, I did not summon her. Andromeda did it out of her own volition. That is what Celestial Spirits were created to do: protect and fight for their master, at the cost of their own physical discomfort. Whether if you like your master or not, is it not true that you must fight for that person? If you sensed Lucy Heartfilia was about to die, you also would break through your own gate and rescue her, would you not? Andromeda is just doing what is natural for Celestial Spirits. You exist to be tools for humans. You have no autonomy when it comes to your masters. You protect them. You serve them. You shield them. You fight for them. It's in your very nature."

"That's not true. I follow Lucy because I respect her. She's loyal, powerful, gentle, and she loves her Spirits. She treats us like close friends."

"So protective over the ones you love," Aiteal chuckled. "It's almost admirable. It's also a weakness. That's what once nearly led to your demise." Aiteal smiled slyly. "Karen Lilica."

Loke froze at the name. Her face returned to his mind, and with it the feeling of intense guilt. His stubbornness had resulted in her death.

"Even if you personally dislike the one with your key, you have no choice but to obey them."

"No. We have our honor and pride. We may choose to fight on our honor as a Celestial Spirit. However, that is our decision. We can also defy our orders," Loke whispered, remembering how he had defied Karen Lilica, and the horrible outcome of that choice. "We can decide to disobey. We can decide on the nature of our contracts. We follow the contract we have, just like how humans follow the rules of a country. However, we do that out of a sense of honor, the same honor a Celestial Spirit wizard has in the bond of their contracts with their Spirits. Andy … Andromeda … she's a strong woman, independent, annoyingly so sometimes. She chose to protect you, not because she has no choice, but precisely because she _does_ have a choice. She is a Silver Key spirit, yet she broke through her own gate. Not even many Gold Key spirits can do that. Do you know what gave her that burst of power?"

The baron silently stared at him.

"Love!" Loke shouted in rage. "She did that much, breaking through her own gate, shielding you with her own body, taking a shot from me that she knew she could not endure, out of _love_. Love makes a Celestial Spirit stronger, and the ability to open our own gate to come to the rescue of our master is the ultimate proof of our love. She loves you, bastard. She took that shot out of love. And you _dare_ ," she screamed, "call her a tool! You dare say she had no choice! If she did not love you so deeply, she _never_ would have been able to come to your aid without being summoned. She wouldn't have been strong enough. Her love for you gave her that strength, and you waved it off as if it's expected, something she can't control, _natural_ that we would risk pain and suffering for a human. We do it out of honor and love, not obligation and servitude." His fists lit up. "We … are not … tools!"

Baron Aiteal picked up another silver key. "I'll show you how wrong you are. My sources say you dislike fighting other Celestial Spirits. As their leader, you feel responsible for their safety. This is one you should know well, one who would normally never fight you. However, she'll fight if I tell her to. She has no choice. Open the Gate of the Lynx!"

"Oh no," Loke whispered. "Anyone but her."

In a poof, there was a tiny cat-girl, slanted eyes with narrow vertical pupils, silver hair with black tuffed ears on the top of her hair, and wearing an orange dress with polka dots. She immediately struck a pose with two fingers raised in a peace sign.

"Hiya, big brother, nyan!" she greeted in a high, chirpy voice.

"Lynx," Loke sighed in anguish. "Dear stars, you're the last person I want to fight."

She put her hand on her hip and stuck her bottom lip out. "What? Afraid you'll lose, nyan?"

"Lynx, don't," Loke warned. "This is serious. Go back home!"

"I can't," she pouted. "I've been summoned. I can't leave unless he closes my gate. You forget how weak we Silver Keys are."

Loke shook his head. "No. We don't have to fight."

"Of course we do," she said simply. "I have a contract with my owner. I must fight for him, nyan."

The baron smirked in triumph. "Lynx once told me about her close relationship with you, Leo. Innocent bragging for the most part, letting me know she personally knows one of the most famous Celestial Spirits."

"Tee-hee," Lynx giggled, putting a cute finger to her lips. "Maybe I bragged about big brother just a teeny, tiny, little bit, nyan."

"I didn't call her out earlier because I figured she was weaker than the rest of my Spirits."

"Hey!" she pouted. "Lynx can be strong when Lynx wants to be strong!"

"Now I realize," Baron Aiteal went on, "your relationship could be a the greatest advantage I have over you. That's how strategy works, Leo. Find a weakness and exploit it."

Loke sighed and shook his head. "This is too much like back then with Aries." He cringed, but he lit up his hands. "Lynx, I'm really sorry, but I must fight. My pride demands it."

"Ooh, always about pride," she mocked. "Well, a lynx has pride too, you know, nyan."

"I'll try not to hurt you too much."

Her cat-like eyes gleamed, and she warned in a low voice, "It's a bad idea to underestimate me, big brother."

"Regulus Slap." He swung his hand forward, and an arc of golden light flew out.

Lynx held up her fist, and within her grip was a pantera claw. The weapon sliced even through Loke's light.

"Armalcolite claws," she grinned, holding up the shiny black spikes fitted to her knuckles. "It slices pretty much anything, including all forms of magic, even light magic. You never asked to fight me back home, so…" She grinned mischievously. "…you don't know what I can do."

With a meow, she pounced forward, slicing through the air with her claws and spinning gracefully. Loke was pushed back at first. She was incredibly fast, and his light magic was completely useless as those claws sliced through it as if it was mere sunlight.

"Dammit," he sneered. He really had not wanted to hurt her. She was like a little sister, always tailing him, often mimicking him, annoying him daily, popping up at the worst possible moments, usually just as he began making moves on one of the female Spirits. She thought the world of Leo the Lion, and he hated that now they had to fight.

Still, her agility was not something to take lightly. She was tiny and fast. He had to be rough.

Loke swung a hard punch, and it hit Lynx right in the jaw. She was flung aside and collapsed to the ground.

"Oww! Ow ow owwww!" she howled in pain. "In the face! You … you hit a little girl in the face!"

"Lynx," Loke whispered in anguish, taking an urgent step toward her. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean…"

"Tee-hee!"

Before Loke knew it, there was agonizing pain in his legs. Her claw had swung out and caught him in the shins. Loke stumbled back, but his legs burned with pain. In an instant, Lynx pounced up to her feet and leaped straight on top of a china cabinet, where she perched crouched down.

"I knew big brother would fall for that, nyan," she giggled. "Big brother is so easy to toy with, nyan."

"You trickster!" he growled.

She jumped forward, aiming at him, and started slashing him with her claws. He had not expected her vicious side, and his legs still hurt. Loke started to flail his shining arms fending off her blows, taking a defensive stance, but her speed and agility allowed her to dodge everything he tried to counter her. She landed a few hits, shredding his suit coat, caught his tie and sliced it in half, and when he ducked one slash of her pantera claws, bits of orange hair were cut off.

Baron Aiteal sat to the side, watching the fight with amusement. Loke caught a glimpse of him, so smug it was annoying. Especially since he looked happy that he had proved his point.

No! Celestial Spirits were not tools! Loke knew, painfully well, that they could gain autonomy. They could make up their own contracts, and end those contracts. They could limit their actions.

But the baron had a point. Lucy wanted Loke to fight, and his pride demanded that he must. Lynx was called out to fight, and her contract demanded that she had to.

They were bound by honor to their agreements.

"Obeying our masters … is our … choice!" he sneered.

Lynx thought she had the almighty Lion in defense, and she cackled with excitement. She jumped at Loke again, aiming her claws for a final strike. Loke realized he had a perfect moment, now that she was in midair. He leaped forward to race her with his fist tightened and a pain of regret roaring from his mouth. Lynx realized almost too late. She flexed her spine, unable to miss the whole hit, but she twisted in just the right angle so the punch was weaker when it struck her. She was thrown through the air and crashed into the china cabinet. Plates and cups shattered all around her.

"Big brother … really is … strong," she panted in pain. "Lynx is no match, nyan. Still…" She tried to get up, but she collapsed back into the pile of broken china.

"That's enough, Lynx," Loke said tenderly. "We can fade back home when we're this injured."

"No!" she said stubbornly. "I wanna show I'm not weak. I wanna prove myself to my master, and to big brother."

Loke smiled at her with brotherly love. "You fought well, little sister."

Her eyes watered over. "Big brother," she whimpered. Then her eyes shifted behind him and widened in surprise. "Watch out!"

Something stabbed Loke in the back. Baron Aiteal had sneaked up behind him and rammed a scepter into him. It did not pierce, but Loke felt his magic and his essence being drained.

"Strategy, Sir Lion," he whispered into Loke's ear. "The right tool for the right job. This," and he twisted the scepter into Loke's back, "drains magic energy and gives it to the wielder. You'll drain and vanish soon."

"Big brother!" Lynx screamed.

Despite the pain, Loke swirled around, swinging a fist. Aiteal easily backed away. Loke partially collapsed into the dining table, panting to stay up.

"You think … something like that … can drain me?" Loke gave a weak laugh, but suddenly his eyes narrowed dangerously. "I lasted three years in this world under my own magic. I have _way more_ magic than that little stick can drain out. Do _not_ underestimate the power of Leo! Regulus is called the Star King for a reason. A king trumps a baron." His fists lit up brightly. "Plus all this talk about _tools_ is really pissing me off!" Loke began to stomp forward.

"No! You should be drained," Aiteal yelled. "This tool is perfect."

"You rely on tools too much. A tool can be no stronger than how it was forged, but Celestial Spirits … love makes us stronger. That is why … _we are not tools!_ " he roared.

Power built up around Loke, and Baron Aiteal's eyes narrowed, feeling panicked. He dropped the scepter and clapped his hands together. "Mud Phase: Floor!"

The ground under Loke's feet went soft, and suddenly he slipped straight through the mud-like flood. With him, Lynx fell as well, screaming as both she and Loke plummeted into the room directly underneath.

Loke prepared himself for a hard fall, but instead of slamming into the ground, he splashed into a pool of water. He did not particularly like water, and this water was hot. He swam to the surface and slicked his lanky orange hair back. The pool was now muddy, and there was a hole in the ceiling directly above him.

"An indoors onsen?" Loke asked, looking around at the massive soaking pool. It was not very deep, his feet reached the bottom and his shoulders were above the water. "Lucky stars I landed in this," he smiled.

"Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Nyaaaaaaaaaaaan!"

Suddenly, Lynx came sputtering up from the water, splashing around in a panic. Loke forgot, she was terrified of water. Feeling sorry for her, he waded over and held out his hand. Maybe they were enemies in this world, where they had to fight for their respective masters, but she was still his little sister.

Lynx grabbed his hand and yanked herself toward Loke with terror on her face. He was ready to just hold her and carry her to the edge of the pool, but she began to clamber, trying to climb up him and clawing up his clothes in the process.

"Water, water, noooooo hate water!" she screeched.

"Lynx!" he shouted. Her arms were around his head, covering his eyes, and she was trying to perch on top of his shoulders. "I … I can't even see."

"Waaaaaah, why water? Why? Aiteal-nyan! Lynx hates water. You know that! Lynx … hates … water!" In anger, she swiped a claw at the ceiling in his direction.

"Lynx, no!" Loke screamed. "We can't attack our owners." Fear filled him again, as well as the face of Karen Lilica.

The swipe shot out silvery slashes of light that took out part of the ceiling. Aiteal leaped away from the destruction, but then accidentally jumped into his own mud hole, fell through, and splashed down into pool head first. His head hit the bottom of the pool, and he floated up to the top unconscious.

"Crap!" Loke yelled. If Lynx had accidentally killed him … even if not directly…

He grabbed the baron and yanked both him and Lynx to the edge of the pool. Lynx gladly scrambled off and grabbed a towel to get the water off of her.

"Is … is he dead?" she asked meekly as she began to calm down.

Loke pulled the baron up and inspected him. "He's breathing. He probably just has a concussion." Then he glared at the little catgirl. "That was _stupid_ , Lynx! He could have snapped his neck. You know the punishment." Loke cringed as his own torment returned to his mind. "You know … what happens to us."

"I know, big brother," she whispered sadly. "I wasn't thinking. Lynx was scared. Lynx was mad."

"Even when we're mad, we must respect the contract we have with our owners." He walked over to her and gave her a hug. "Even when we don't like our owner, even when they do things that hurt us, or scare us, or make us angry, we have to respect the contract and respect how brief human life is. We don't die easily. They do."

"Yes, big brother, nyan."

"Go home now. He's been defeated. I'll be delivering him to the royal army. You and Andy may have to testify that his goals were to threaten King Toma."

"Human politics is stupid!" She grinned up at him. "We've got it easy. Old Mustache is the king, and you're leader of the Zodiacs. Easy-peasy!

He ruffled up her hair. "And you're a little queen of mischief!" he teased. "Now, go home and dry off." With his hand on her head, Loke helped her to close her own gate without needing Aiteal to do it. Then he turned around at the unconscious baron. "In the end, the girl you thought was a tool turned against you. Tools obey without thought. Celestial Spirits will never be tools."

* * *

When Edo-Natsu drove up to the baron's palace, they saw Loke sitting on the sprawling entryway staircase with the nobleman tied up. He spun a keyring around on his finger, and Lucy's eyes lit up immediately.

"Is that … what I think they are?"

She jumped out of the car and ran up to Loke. He rose, bowed genteelly to her, and handed her the ring of silver keys.

"A present to the victor," the Lion grinned as Lucy took the precious Celestial Spirit keys. "I've already been in contact with the royal army and explained everything. King Toma is _not_ happy with his wayward cousin. A dispatch was sent to Bluebell Village to protect them against the invaders, and we're to meet them there with this chump," he said, thumbing back to the peeved baron.

Lucy eyed the nobleman warily. "You … look familiar," she whispered. "Ah! You're one of the jerks my father was trying to get me to marry! You were the one who actually turned him down."

Edo-Natsu's eyes narrowed. "Your dad wanted you to marry an old guy like this?"

"You'll regret this, Leo the Lion," Aiteal sneered.

"Oh, I'm sure I will," Loke chuckled. "Andy has quite a crush on you, from what I saw. She'll give me hell when I go back home. But as for you…" Loke held the scepter and poked it into the baron's chest. The nobleman immediately fell unconscious again as his magic was drained. "I don't think you're much of a threat. Oh hey, Edolas kid," Loke called over. "A present. It's a tool that uses magic, like what you guys used back in your home world. Might come in handy. Don't poke anyone with it. It's quite potent in draining magical energy."

"Wow, thanks," Edo-Natsu grinned as he carefully handled the scepter.

They loaded the unconscious baron into the backseat, squished between Loke and Gray, and took a side route to Bluebell Village. When they got there, they saw that the royal army had already arrived, and at the sight of their employer being taken under heavy guard, the mercenaries surrendered. Their employer paid Gray and Lucy their money, plus a bonus for getting the threat of Baron Aiteal completely removed.

As they were riding back home, Lucy was raving about her newly acquired keys. Although they were Silver Keys, she knew Perseus was rare and expensive, and she could hardly wait to meet Lynx.

"This was a great mission!" she exclaimed. "Best of all, we didn't have to pay for any repairs."

"It still might have gone smoother with that flame-brain helping out," Gray muttered, remembering that the purpose of this mission was to show Lucy that their team really did need Natsu Dragneel back.

"Smoother, maybe, but more destructive. Ugh! It's so nice to head home with _all_ of our money." She wrapped an arm around Edo-Natsu as he drove. "We really couldn't have done it without you, Fireball."

"Thanks," he smiled, more focused on the road.

"The way you drove up right when we got surrounded, that was so cool."

Gray again mentioned, "We wouldn't have gotten into that mess if we had more fighting power."

Lucy ignored him. "And then you made it down the mountain on a hiking trail! That takes some serious skill. Even if you don't have magic, your driving abilities could really be handy for Fairy Tail. Maybe we should ask Makarov if we could make you an honorary member. I mean, you're _technically_ a member of Fairy Tail already."

Gray finally blew up. "No! He isn't part of Fairy Tail, not _our_ Fairy Tail. Our Fairy Tail isn't a dark guild, for one. We don't do illegal things. Besides, _his_ Fairy Tail probably misses him."

"I wonder about that," Edo-Natsu mumbled, his eyes focused on the highway. "Without magic, without fuel for my car, there really isn't anything in that world for me anymore. Even if you guys can get Dragneel back, I want to stay in Earthland if I can."

"Of course!" Lucy immediately agreed.

Loke's brow tensed up. "A person can't be part of two worlds at the same time," he warned. "I'm not just saying that to be mean. As a Celestial Spirit, I know what I'm talking about!" Memories of Karen Lilica were still on his mind thanks to that fight with the baron. "Natsu Dragion is part of Edolas," he explained, looking at the pink-haired double. "It'll always be his home. Even if he likes Earthland, even if he makes friends here … even if he falls in love," Loke added quietly, glancing longingly to Lucy, "sometimes it's best for a person to return to the home where they are meant to live."

Lucy turned around in her seat and shouted angrily, "You're only saying that because you're jealous."

Loke stared back at her seriously. "As a Celestial Spirit, I think I'm the only person in this car who fully understands this issue of dual citizenship between dimensions."

"Your situation was different. You were dying."

"And Natsu Dragneel very well might be dying over there, too!" Loke shouted. "Or did you forget when everyone warned you about that? He'd be facing the exact same issue I did when I was exiled to Earthland. I was running out of spirit energy and fading away. He's running out of magic energy every day and … well, we have no clue what might happen to him. If he stays over there too long, he'll most likely die. Do you think that's fair to him?"

"Dammit, who said we'd leave Natsu over in Edolas?" Lucy shouted back. "Of course we're gonna get him back, but we don't know if that necessarily means that Fireball has to leave."

"There's still a high possibility," Loke warned her.

"And if he does have to leave, what are you going to do?" Gray asked. "You rushed into this without thinking clearly."

"That's not true!" she yelled, and her face cringed. "I did think about it. A lot."

"Not enough to save you from a heartbreak," Gray said worriedly. "I'll tell you right now, as much as I hate that flame-brain and like this wheel-brain, leaving Natsu to die in Edolas is _not_ an option. I would rather chuck Dragion through a portal than have one of my nakama die a slow death."

"We don't know yet!" Lucy screamed. "Why are you making a big deal about it and picking on the two of us?"

Loke looked sad. "Because we love you, Lucy."

"We're worried about you," Gray agreed.

"Then focus on me and stop harassing Fireball."

The driver suddenly slammed on his breaks, sending everyone lurching forward. A cloud of dust blew around them along with the stench of break fluid.

Narrow green eyes flashed at them. "Shut up, all of you, or I'm dumping _all three of you_ out of my car."

Lucy looked over in shock. "Fireball?"

"Stop defending me, Lucy. I can do that myself, you know. I was just keeping quiet because Loke has a point. I'm not from this world. I want to stay here, but I don't know how practical that is yet. Maybe I'll always second-guess myself. I don't know!" he yelled in frustration. "It's true that we sped into a relationship, but…" He glared around at the two men in the backseat. "Don't you think we _both_ knew the risks? Don't you think we spent weeks tearing ourselves apart, worrying about the repercussions, about what might happen if I do have to leave? I went through a mental _hell_ before deciding to hit the gas pedal. Maybe I'm driving toward a cliff, but I don't need a damn _backseat driver_ to tell me when to apply the breaks! Tell that to whoever set you up to do this, because this reeks of a conspiracy. Tell them to stop treating us like we need fucking training wheels!" Edo-Natsu glared at the two men. "Now, are we done with all the goddamn drama bullshit?" He faced front with his teeth in a snarl. "Dammit, I forgot how much I _hate_ passengers," he growled.

Loke folded his arms. "Looks like the Fireball finally flared up."

Edo-Natsu swung around and glared hard. "You shut up. Especially you! I really hate the version of you in my world, ya know. If he wasn't already dead, I'd kill him in an instant. Now, here's his face, right in front of me."

Lucy gasped at the indirect threat to one of her Celestial Spirits.

"You wanna challenge me?" Loke said, goading him on. "Come at me, kid. You don't even have magic."

"I have a magical car."

"All that's good for against a Lion is to run away like a coward."

Edo-Natsu's sage-green eyes narrowed. "I also now have this." He held up the scepter. "I bet you got hit with it once already, considering you knew its effects. Do you think you'd last a second hit?"

"Fireball!" Lucy cried out in outrage.

"I also used to be pretty damn good with a sword," Edo-Natsu smirked viciously. "I have one under the car seat, just in case. Do you have any clue how much restraint it's taking me not to kill you right here, in my own car?"

Lucy suddenly slapped Edo-Natsu across the cheek.

Gray gasped at the strike. "Lucy?"

She felt tears burning her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to show them here. "No one threatens one of my Celestial Spirits, not even someone I care for. You need to calm down, Fireball." She opened her side door, jumped out of the car, and slammed the door behind her. "Come on, Loke!"

The Lion scrambled out of the car and after her. "Where are you going?"

"A train station. I'll go home the usual way."

Gray shook his head as he eyed the Edolas lookalike. "For a while, I thought this transportation-enhanced version of you was just like that idiot flame-brain. Obviously, you're not the same, even this way. Our Natsu would never threaten a friend."

"Loke is not my friend," Edo-Natsu sneered.

"He's Lucy's Celestial Spirit and a member of Fairy Tail. If you really do want to stay in this universe, then either change your opinion of him or fix that attitude of yours. Maybe _your_ Loke was an asshole, but here in Earthland, he's a cool guy. He even gave you a weapon. Would an enemy do that?"

Edo-Natsu growled softly and faced the road ahead of him.

"One more thing," Gray added. "Fairy Tail is very good at forgiving people, even former enemies. If you can't learn to do that, you don't deserve to be part of our guild." Then Gray climbed out of the car and jogged to catch up with Lucy.

Edo-Natsu simmered in anger and frustration. Whenever he saw Loke about to touch Lucy's shoulder, he could not help but think of the Loke back in Edolas, the man who tried to murder Lucy Ashley numerous times, and who was eventually killed by Lucy herself. This smiling, flirting fool was so different from the man he knew. Gray, too. He had left his shirt behind in the car. Gray Surge would never take off clothes, and certainly not all the way to a bare torso.

Edo-Natsu clenched his fingers around the steering wheel and gritted his teeth. He thought he had sorted all of this out in his head. This was _not_ his guild, not the people he knew. Princess, naked ice mage, playboy spirit … none of these were like the people back home.

So why was he treating them the same? He had kicked people out of his car many times in Edolas. He didn't like passengers!

"Shit!" he sneered, and he slammed on the gas pedal, squealing his wheels as he raced away in tumultuous emotions.

**End of Chapter 28**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Baron Aiteal's name comes from the Irish name for juniper. I figured it went along with Fairy Tail's flower-based naming scheme (Fiore, Crocus, Magnolia)._
> 
> _Lynx is a silver key Celestial Spirit who I mentioned in[Ephemeral Sakura, Eternal Love](http://archiveofourown.org/works/457772/chapters/788171), and she reappears here almost the same as in that story. Her pantera claws are made from armalcolite, a mineral that was discovered on the Moon._


	29. Igneel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Cat Goliath gave me the idea that Edo-Igneel might have retired from race car driving to become a glassblower, and since I love watching glassblowers at work, I simply had to use that idea._
> 
> _If you want to know what Edo-Igneel looks like, years ago I drew a (really ugly and crappy) picture for a DeviantArt contest that could either be old-Natsu or Edo-Igneel (although in my pic he's wearing the scarf, but whatever)._
> 
> [](http://fav.me/d5dan9v)  
> <http://fav.me/d5dan9v>

Natsu followed a familiar scent. It was not totally the same. There was a smell of grease and sand mixed with it, less char and sulfur. However, the underlying smell was unmistakable. This was definitely Igneel's scent.

He saw a cabin up ahead in the Edolas desert, a strange building that appeared to be made from glass bottles and clay. To the side was a shed, and Natsu heard humming from there, as well as the unmistakable sound of a roaring fire. It felt hotter as Natsu slowly approached the shed.

"If you take a step closer, you'll die. I'm not joking."

Natsu froze mid-step and slowly put his foot back in place. Igneel also used to set up traps around his cave to stop people from reaching their home, although none of his would have killed a person, just scorched them a little.

Soon, a man rounded the corner, and Natsu's mouth dropped. If ever he had wanted to know how he might look in another thirty years, this man was it. He had the same sharp, green eyes and wild pink hair, but there were silver strands at the temples. His stubble was gray, he had creases around his eyes, and a scar ran down one eye and across the upper cheek. Otherwise, to Natsu, it was like looking at himself from the future.

The man's eyes narrowed. "Natsu?" he whispered. When he grinned and roared out a laugh, there was no mistaking that this was Edolas' version of Igneel. He had the same laugh. "Natsu! Dear heavens, you've really grown. Okay, take three steps to the left, walk straight to the cactus, sharp right and walk to the blue rock, then … oh, you should know how I set up my traps!" he chuckled nostalgically.

"Who can remember that far back?" Natsu muttered, but he saw the boot prints in the sand and followed those, weaving through what he assumed were booby traps. Finally he made it to the shed. "Are you … really … Igneel?"

"What are you saying?" the man laughed, and he grabbed Natsu into a crushing hug. "Don't you recognize your old man?"

"Well, you see…"

"Come here, come here," he urged, pulling Natsu into the shed. "After magic went away, I couldn't drive, and I had to make money somehow. Remember that weirdo glassblower we swindled? Well, I still had his old equipment. Doesn't take any magic, but it is hard work. Anyway, I started making these." He held up a perfectly round glass ball. "Pretty, right? I call them Dragon Pearls."

Natsu jolted. "Dragon?"

"They're filled with a special gas. Set them out in the sun, they charge up, and when night comes, these babies glow as bright as the old lacrima bulbs used to. This is high science, breakthrough technology in the harnessing of chemical compounds, and guaranteed to last a lifetime. They're in high demand. Large corporations have bought them by the hundreds to light up their buildings that went dark after magic vanished."

"Wow!" Natsu cried out, holding up a glass globe. "They really work?"

"Of course not," Edo-Igneel laughed. "Sheesh, even you fell for that lame sales pitch? You should know me better than that. Science!" he laughed. "Like I know the first thing about chemistry! I made a killing selling these Dragon Pearls with that same sales pitch."

"Then … they don't light up?"

"Sure they do, for a while. The gas works fine for one month. Then it runs out. By then, I'm long gone and the customers have nothing more than a pretty glass ball that cost them a month's paycheck. The scam worked for a while. Really made a fortune in Royal City. The king himself bought a thousand of these, wiped out my stock, could've set me for life, but of course I blew the money betting on tanchimo races. Then after the month was up, the city went black. Caused some accidents when the lights went out, and the gas inside it actually poisonous, so when people got mad and smashed their Dragon Pearls … well, lots of people died. I heard King Jellal put a price on my head." He laughed at the idea of being an outlaw. "What money I didn't lose in betting, I had to use for paying off soldiers."

Natsu was shocked. "The gas is poisonous?" he cried out.

"Yeah, makes handling them a pain in the ass," he admitted. "I built up a slight tolerance, but I almost died once when a crate crashed. Mostly I sell to small towns now. They'll buy them, and then I move on before the lights go out."

"You're spreading poison all over Edolas!" Natsu shouted.

Igneel folded his arms and glared down at him coldly. "So?"

"SO!" Natsu bellowed.

"You've really changed, Natsu. You were never a loud-mouth like this."

"I'm not _your_ Natsu." He sighed as he realized this would take a while. "Look, your son and I are like twins but from other dimensions. We got switched. I'm trying to find my way back."

"Another dimension?" he asked in shock. "Were you in a car accident and hit your head?"

"No! Look, it's … a long story. Anyway, I heard about you from some guys in a town. My Igneel … well … he vanished when I was a kid."

"Yeah, I up and left, too. Always regretted leaving that brat. So you're not Natsu?"

"My name is Natsu Dragneel, son of Igneel, King of the Flame Dragons."

Igneel's mouth dropped. "What … the…? A king? A … a _dragon_?" He laughed loudly. Natsu had to smile. It was Igneel's laugh, a sound he had missed for so long. "I'm a goddamn dragon in some alternate dimension? Hell, I was born in the wrong place. So are you a dragon?"

"I'm adopted. Igneel took me in."

"Huh! Sounds familiar."

Natsu's eyes widened. "That delivery boy driver isn't really your son? But you look just like me … him … us … whatever."

"Well," Igneel said awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "You see, I had a cousin who looked just like me. People said we were twins. We were really close, too. We'd pull pranks on our parents. Even they couldn't tell us apart. He died just before the girl he knocked up had his baby. He asked me to raise the brat. Well, I don't care much for kids, but his girlfriend was hot as hell. Of course I took her in. I figured I'd get some wild sex once she got over having that baby. I did for a while, too. She was one fiery mama!" he laughed lewdly. "Then one day, she up and left. I had no clue what to do with the brat. I had planned to dump him somewhere, but the bitch went to the army and ratted me out. I was surrounded, they were going to shoot, and I used the boy as a shield. They let me go, said they couldn't risk shooting a child. I realized the brat had some use to him. I took him along on heists, and if things got dicey, he was my ticket out."

"You used Edo-Me as a human shield?" Natsu raged.

"Why not? He made a good lookout, too. Then it turned out he had a knack for building car engines. His turbo engine saved my butt more than once, and we made a killing on the racetracks. I wouldn't have minded keeping him around, but I had to flee once, and he was gone by the time I got back to fetch him. I heard he joined some dark guild. Fairy Ass?"

"Fairy Tail," Natsu shouted angrily.

"Yeah, knew it was some gay name," he said with a laugh, and Natsu's fists clenched. "I miss the brat, though. He was fun to have around. He called me Dad, which I thought was cute as hell. After a while, I really did think of him as my own son. He was brilliant, he really was. He deserves to have a much better life than anything I could have given him. But while it lasted … damn me, but I loved that brat. I really miss him at times. It's just not as fun being alone like this. He made my life … meaningful."

Natsu's anger at the man subsided slightly, hearing the loneliness in his voice.

Edo-Igneel picked up one of his glass globes. "I often wonder, if I had made it back to him soon enough, if I had never left him behind, if we stayed together all these years, what sort of man would he have grown up to become?" He glanced over to Natsu. "It's really freaky, because you look exactly how I remember my cousin. I mean, _exactly!_ Even the white scarf."

"The scarf?" Natsu asked. "The scarf belonged to … to Edo-Me's real dad?" He wondered if that meant this scarf belonged to his own birth father.

"He always wore that white scarf."

Natsu smiled and reached up to his scaly muffler. "It must have been very precious to him. I'm sure he probably wanted his son to have it."

"Are you kidding?" Igneel scoffed. "I burned the damn thing just after his funeral. I always hated that scarf."

"You _what_?" he screamed. "You burned the scarf?"

"It was seriously annoying!" Igneel complained in a whiny voice. "He wore it everywhere, even in the summer. And since everyone knew that he never went anywhere without the stupid scarf, when we'd switch places, that meant that _I_ had to wear the blasted thing. It seriously stank!"

Natsu grabbed his own scarf. "This scarf is precious! Igneel gave it to me. _My_ Igneel. This is my treasure!"

Igneel scratched his nose. "You sound as annoying as my cousin did. Sheesh, if you're that hung up over a stupid scarf, I'm glad I burned it. If Natsu had been like you about that damn thing, I would have ditched the kid up in the mountains, where he'd actually _need_ a scarf."

"You are _nothing_ like my Igneel," Natsu shouted.

"No shit! Your stepdad was a fucking _dragon king_ , whereas I'm a retired race car driver stuck in Butt-Fuck Edolas making glass balls for a living. And it ain't much of a living. I have to keep robbing stupid hicks just to get money for the gas I use in these Dragon Pearls."

"A poisonous gas! I should smash every one of these," Natsu sneered.

"Do that, and we'd both die from the poison. I'm not joking. Break all of them and it'd probably also kill everyone in twenty leagues."

Natsu realized that would include Grimoire Heart and the people in that peaceful town. As much as he did not want this poison spread around, he could not think of a way to get rid of it. Natsu decided he should probably go back to Precht and tell them about Igneel and the poison. As much as he hated the idea of turning in his father's alternate self, he had to tell himself, this man was _not_ Igneel. This was the polar opposite to the dragon who raised him as his son.

Natsu shook his head at just how disappointed he was to find out Edo-Igneel was such a horrible man. "Sheesh, I don't even know why I came here."

"I'm wondering the same," Igneel said, flicking off a booger he picked out of his nose. "I mean, it's nice to know that brat is still alive, although apparently he's in some other universe. Maybe that's for the best. Edolas is one fucked up world. If he can stay there, he probably should."

Suddenly, both of them heard an explosion outside.

"Bluenote!"

Natsu recognized Zancrow's voice. He ran outside and saw Kain, Zoldeo, Rustyrose, Asuma, old Precht, and flirty Zancrow gathered around Bluenote, who had stepped on one of the traps and was holding a bleeding leg.

"You guys!" Natsu gasped.

Precht stepped forward. "Sorry for following you, kid. I know he's your dad…"

"Well, actually…"

"… but a thief is a thief, and we have to protect our town. People like Igneel are just asking for even more trouble. His sort brings riffraff around, and we don't need that."

Zancrow waved to Natsu. "Hi, cutey."

Natsu cringed back. "Oh God, you again."

Meanwhile, Zoldeo had sneaked around a back way. He just wanted to find the money that had been stolen. He found a familiar looking bag and picked it up.

"Hey!" Natsu yelled. "That's Igneel's!"

He aimed a punch at Zoldeo. The skittish man scampered away with the bag, but Natsu kicked him in the back, leaped on top, cranked one of Zoldeo's arms back, and pinned him.

"Nice moves, kid," Igneel grinned, twirling a Dragon Pearl in his hands. "You're a pretty good fighter."

Natsu smiled up at him. That praise felt wonderful, being spoked with his father's voice. Even if this man was human, it was still Igneel's voice.

"This money," Zoldeo cringed. "It's mine. He stole it."

Natsu's hold loosened. He remembered now, Zoldeo and Kain had been tracking Igneel after he stole some things from Grimoire Heart. "Is it really yours?"

"Yes," he hissed, still in pain from the kick. "He … he stole it. Stole food from Precht, too. He's a rotten thief!"

Natsu glanced over to Igneel, who was gazing around the edge of the shed, while outside he heard Precht shouting orders and apparently the group found the footsteps that led them through the obstacles.

"Kid," Igneel said in a deep voice, staying back but glancing at the approaching group. "Are you friends with them?"

"Not really."

"Good." He suddenly leaped out from around the shed wall and hurled the glass ball he had been holding at the members of Grimoire Heart.

"No!" Natsu yelled. He let go of Zoldeo and scrambled forward. "What the hell are you doing, bastard?"

Zancrow watched the ball with fascination. "Pretty!" he whispered.

Natsu stared at the ball in horror. "Watch out, they're filled with poison!"

Kain ran forward, and he caught the glass ball before it could crash into the ground and shatter in front of Zancrow. "Poison, huh?" Carefully, he set the Dragon Pearl down. "I heard stories of small towns being wiped out from a mysterious poisonous gas."

Zancrow's eyes lit up at Natsu. "Darling! You saved me!"

"So this is the culprit," Kain shouted boisterously. "This now goes far beyond mere theft. You, sir," the pale man said, pointing a dramatic finger at Igneel, "are charged with mass murder."

"Fuck off," Igneel sneered, and he threw another glass ball.

This time, Natsu leaped and caught it before it had time to fly far. "Stop that right now!"

Igneel glared hard at him. "Now I know for sure you're not my Natsu. He'd never go against me. You said you're from another dimension or something, right?"

"Yeah, from Earthland."

"Then this ain't your fight. I won't kill you, since you look like my boy, but if anyone gets in my way, even if you were the real Natsu Dragion, I'd kill you."

Natsu stared in horror as that voice, the voice of Igneel which just a moment ago had praised him, now threatened him like that. "No way," Natsu whispered as his eyes began to burn with sadness. "Igneel … would never…"

"I'm obviously not _your_ Igneel. My Natsu knows not to mess with me, and you better learn the same. Now, fuck off, kid. Get out of here. It's gonna get bloody."

Bluenote pulled himself up, still bleeding from the leg wound, but the pain sobered him up. "Kain," he said, and the pale, thin man was instantly at his side.

"Justice must be served," Kain said with a dire gaze at the shed.

"Rustyrose, Asuma: flank him. Zancrow, Precht: try to get that kid out." He pulled out a rifle. "If I get a clean shot, I'm taking it, but I don't want to hit the kid or Zoldeo."

The old man stroked his beard and chuckled. "Bluenote, you haven't sounded this serious in years."

Bluenote took a shot. Igneel threw another glass ball at them. This time, it shattered, and Bluenote began to cough. He backed away as the poison burned his lungs.

"Don't inhale it!" he shouted, grabbing his throat.

Zancrow and Precht sneaked around the back and made it into the shed while Igneel was busy with Bluenote, Kain, Rustyrose, and Asuma.

Zancrow called out softly. "Darling?"

Natsu looked over in disgust. "Seriously, don't call me that!"

The blond still held his hand out. "Let's get out of here. Please, darling."

Natsu looked back again as he heard Igneel shout as the bullet grazed his shoulder.

"Kid!" Precht called out. "Whose side are you on: the side of the law, or that criminal who claims to be your father?"

Natsu looked again to Edo-Igneel in anguish. It really was like looking at an older version of himself. The resemblance was unnerving. Then he looked out at the group slowly encircling the shed.

"Listen," Precht said softly. "Even if this man is your father, someone as evil as Igneel cannot be left running around. People will die. We can't let this world fall into such darkness.

Natsu shook his head. It made no sense. Igneel was killing people? He did not understand. Igneel would never be evil.

"Dammit!" Igneel yelled. "Natsu, fight them off. If I can just get to the house…"

"Are you gonna use me as a shield, like you used Edo-Me?" Natsu asked bitterly.

"Look, maybe I'm not _your_ father, but I'm the guy your other self sees as a father. Respect how he would treat me."

Natsu watched as Precht came closer. He could pretend this was the same Hades from Earthland, the same Grimoire Heart who hurt his nakama; however, all he saw in this man's single eye was sadness and kindness. Precht offered a hand, begging silently with a hopeful expression. Natsu clenched his teeth and looked aside. He could not bring himself to punch the old man.

"How Edo-Me would treat you?" Natsu whispered, and he glared at Igneel. "If I was him, I'd be ashamed of you. You have no right to the title of _Dad_."

"Damn brat."

It was Igneel's voice, but the man in front of him was not his father at all.

"What should I do, Precht?" Natsu asked, glaring at the older pink-haired man.

"We need to stop him without any more of these glass balls breaking. Asuma is shooting too wildly. He might hit a wall and shoot one of the balls. If you can…"

Igneel turned at them in anger and threw a dagger at Natsu. In a flash, Zancrow leaped in the way with his arms out protectively. The knife embedded into his shoulder, but he only groaned softly at the pain.

"Zancrow!" Natsu cried out. "You … you saved me?" He was utterly stunned, remembering how violently the Earthland version had fought against him.

Blood dripped thickly down his arm. "Of course I'll protect you … with my _body_ , darling."

Natsu cringed. "Please, just call me Natsu."

His eyes lit up. "Really? Can I?"

"Beats that other word," Natsu grumbled. Then his focus went back to Igneel. "I can't believe he tried to kill me."

"It's sad, where darkness can lead a person," Precht said sagely.

"Precht!" Zoldeo called out. "I got the money. If we can just catch him…"

"You bastard!" Igneel bellowed. "No one takes what's mine!" He grabbed a brass push off the furnace he used for glass blowing and hurled it like a javelin. The hot, brassy tip slammed into Zoldeo's chest and impaled him with glowing metal.

"Zoldeo!" Precht shouted in horror.

"No!" Zancrow screamed.

The bug-eyed man gasped as he slowly fell to his knees, then collapsed over.

"Zoldeo!" Zancrow yelled. He raced over to his fallen teammate.

Precht grabbed Natsu's arm. "We need to regroup. Fight with us, kid."

Edo-Igneel began to laugh. "Wow, I haven't had this much fun in ages."

"You … you killed him," Natsu said in shock as blood puddled over the ground around Zoldeo's stabbed body. "You killed him. Igneel … he would never … he … he loved humans." Natsu glared at the man with his father's voice. "Why?" he screamed in outrage.

"Che! Why?" Igneel asked back. "Why the hell not? You know how much I despise people. Or, I guess you don't know, huh? My Natsu knows." He grinned fiendishly. "I fuckin' _hate_ people."

Zancrow hugged the limp body against him. "Zoldeo! No! This can't … it can't be…"

"Annoying," Igneel sneered.

Natsu saw him marching up to where Zancrow was knelt over Zoldeo's dead body. Although Precht was trying to pull Natsu out of the shed through a back door, Natsu saw the pink-haired man with a knife in his hand.

"Zancrow!" he screamed.

The blond looked up in confusion. "Natsu darling?"

"No!" he screamed.

Before Natsu could run forward, Igneel swung the blade down and stabbed Zancrow in the back. His red eyes went wide in shock. Again and again, Igneel stabbed him, laughing manically. Blood began to drip out of Zancrow's mouth.

"Na- … -tsu…" he whispered.

"You bastard," Natsu shrieked.

Zancrow smiled as blood gurgled past his lips. "You … really care … darling."

Igneel picked up a glass ball, testing it out in his hand. "You're a hard one to kill."

"Stop!" Natsu cried, struggling against Precht.

The old man had tears of grief streaming down his weathered face. "It's too late, kid."

"No!"

Igneel smashed the Dragon Pearl at Zancrow's feet and quickly moved away. A cloud of gas billowed up. Natsu covered his nose at the foul smell. He heard Zancrow scream and gargle. When the smoked cleared, he was collapsed with blood and foam coming out of his mouth from the poison.

Precht looked away in sickness. "Why? Zanny!" He shook his head. "You can get out, kid. Leave this to us. This man … this bastard … we can't let him get away alive, not after this. He's your father, so … so just go. Get on that tanchimo and don't stop riding until you reach the next town. Don't look back. Forget this man who was once your father. Promise me…"

Natsu heard shattering glass. Suddenly, billows of gas rose around him and Precht. As Natsu looked toward the entrance of the work shed, Edo-Igneel was glaring at him in disgust. The old man immediately began to cough. Natsu felt burning in his throat, but his dragon slayer lungs were different from a normal human. He grabbed Precht and leaped away, running out the back door and out into the desert sun.

The old man was coughing, and blood was already bubbling out of his mouth. Natsu raced away from the shed. His lungs burned, but he was less susceptible to the poisonous air, merely coughing with a searing pain in the back of his throat. He laid Precht outside against a large rock.

"Rest here, old man." He raised and faced the shed again. "This has gone too far." He marched back through the poisonous fog, holding his breath. Edo-Igneel was on the far side of the shed, still battling with the sharpshooters outside. "You disgrace my father, carrying his name, and Edo-Me's feelings. Dragneel, Dragion: it doesn't even matter anymore. You're human, and you … you're a disgrace to humans."

"Whatcha gonna do about it, brat?" Igneel chuckled. He bounced a Dragon Pearl in his hand. "Maybe one of these didn't kill you, but I've got a whole shed full of them."

"You'd kill yourself before you'd kill me. It seems like, as a dragon slayer, I'm not as affected by that poison, whereas you're just a normal human." He saw the members of Grimoire Heart nearing the shed cautiously. "Someone watch over the old man. Don't get near Igneel." His eyes narrowed. "I'll deal with him."

Kain nodded. "A son breaking from the sins of the father and doling out justice. How poetic! I should write a haiku about this."

"How's this one for you?" Natsu smirked.

"You are not my dad.  
Disgrace to the name Igneel.  
I'll kick your damn ass."

Kain hummed. "Not exactly traditional, but in this case … I like it."

Natsu glared at the older man. "You complimented me on my fighting. Let's see how good you are, fake-Dad."

Igneel threw a glass ball, but Natsu leaped through the gas, his fist raised and a roar of anger screaming out. He threw a punch, and Igneel dodged, stepping back and out into the sunlight. Natsu kept at him, while Igneel retreated, only barely escaping those enraged blows as he scurried back over the sand, ducking and twirling, barely keeping out of the way but unable to match Natsu's speed to counter his attacks.

Outside, Asuma raised his gun, but Bluenote put his hand over the barrel.

"You might hit the kid," he warned. "We don't want any more innocent deaths."

Finally, Natsu's fist collided with Igneel's jaw. Then he got in a hit to his stomach, knocking the air out. Igneel stumbled back, trying to raise his hands.

"Natsu, kid, come on!"

"I'm not your kid!" Natsu screamed, and he punched Igneel hard across the face. A tooth flew out with a spit of blood, and the pink-haired man collapsed unconscious to the ground. "Be glad I can't use my flames right now, you bastard. Then again, a sad excuse of a father like you doesn't deserve the _honor_ of seeing a dragon's flame."

"Kain, cuff him," Bluenote shouted, still coughing from the tiny bit of poison he had inhaled.

Natsu ran back over to where Precht laid on the ground, propped against a rock. Although Rustyrose tried to get him to drink water, the old man was bleeding out of his mouth too heavily.

"Hades," Natsu whispered. He knelt down and held the old man's frail body. "Oy, are you okay?"

"Kid … Natsu," Precht said, smiling but looking ahead with eyes blinded from the poison. "I know already, you must be Natsu Dragion."

Natsu opened his mouth to protest, but he did not have a chance to tell him no.

"I'm glad," Precht went on with a faint smile, "to have seen for myself that you're still alive, and that you've left behind the dark guild. You … should live an honorable life." He smiled to himself. "Promise me that, Natsu. Don't fall back into the darkness. Live in the light. Promise … me."

Natsu rested his head against the bony shoulder. "I promise."

Precht smiled, but then his face went slack and his eyes closed. Natsu felt his body slump and sensed the chill of death. A tear dripped out for the man who had been kind to him.

Wiping his face, Natsu stood up and faced the rest of Grimoire Heart. Asuma was pulling out Zancrow's body, and Kain stood guard over Igneel, who was now in handcuffs.

"Well?" Natsu asked sternly, glaring at them. "Are you gonna try arresting me, too."

Bluenote walked up to him. "You're innocent in this. You tried to rescue Precht, and you warned us about the poison. Maybe you're this man's kid," he said, nodding back to Igneel, "but you did no crime. You helped take down a very dangerous criminal."

"I'm also a member of Fairy Tail."

"You ran away from them, right?" Bluenote reasoned.

Rustyrose nodded in agreement. "You should go. Precht wanted you to live in the light, to have a second chance and find redemption. You can't do that if you're sitting in a jail cell."

"We will be calling the royal guards to come get Igneel," Bluenote said. "If you really are a former member of Fairy Tail, you should not be here when they arrive. We promise not to say anything about you."

Then Asuma walked up and handed Natsu the bag of money Zoldeo was trying to get back. "You normally would get a reward for taking down Igneel Dragion. This isn't as much as you deserve, but take it."

"What? N-No!" Natsu cried out. "That guy, he … he died trying to get this back. I can't take it."

Kain chuckled softly. "Zoldeo won that money from me in a poker game, and he had been cheating, so it's fine. Cheaters never prosper. In Zoldeo's case, karma was just too harsh. The money won't do him good now, anyway, and it would be too hard for me to take it back. Please, accept it in lieu of reward money, and as our thanks for bringing this man to justice."

"Precht would want you to have it," Bluenote said solemnly.

Natsu looked down at the bearded man, then over to Zancrow. "I'm really sorry."

"It's not your sin," Asuma said quietly. "If not for you, we might all have died. For that, thank you."

Still, Natsu felt bad. He accepted the bag of money, but he walked over to Zancrow. "You saved me. Thanks." He squeezed the cold, limp hand. "This version of you wasn't all that bad." The knife was still embedded in Zancrow's shoulder. Natsu pulled it out and wiped off the blood. "I'll keep this and remember you."

In sadness, he turned and went back to Yusō. He leaped up onto the tanchimo and rode off across the desert, away from Igneel's house and the reek of poison and death. He wiped a tear from his eyes and gnashed his teeth in anguish. He felt more homesick now than he had been since he first arrived in Edolas.

All Natsu wanted was to get home before anyone else around him died.

**End of Chapter 29**


	30. What Would You Do For Family

King Jellal sat on his bed, casually stroking through silky locks of scarlet hair. He remembered Erza Scarlet, the Titania of Fairy Tail. How appropriate her surname was! Supposedly, it was his alternate self who gave her that name, and it was definitely an apt choice. Maybe because he grew up in Earthland, watching those wizards with all that internal power, whereas he had to use external power for magic, admiring the _true_ wizards, especially Gildarts, Laxus, Mira, and Erza … he studied her so much from the shadows. He watched the Titania fight. He envied her mental fortitude. Then, upon his return home, he easily fell in love with this woman now curled on his chest.

His heart had opened up living in Earthland. He briefly wondered about Natsu Dragneel, lost somewhere in this world. Was his heart opening up as well? Was he safe? He had liked Natsu back in Earthland, a wild boy but with a deep heart filled with the passion to protect his friends. He wondered how life in a dark guild that was opposite to his own nakama would change Natsu. Or would he change them?

He heard footsteps approaching. At the faint sound, Erza Knightwalker roused from her slumber. She was breathtaking in the morning, her red hair a mess, her eyes bleary, no defenses up, just a gorgeous woman with a surprisingly cute side to her. Not like King Jellal would ever tell her that! She'd throttle him as soon as she fully woke up.

Those steps sounded urgent, so Jellal pulled the covers up, at least enough to cover his sweetheart. Maybe she did not give much care about privacy, but he was a jealous man who did not want others to see the ampleness of her bosom in their full and exposed glory.

Sure enough, the door opened with hardly a knock and a servant rushed in. "Your highness, another call from that magic land."

"Earthland," he corrected. "I'll be right there." The servant bowed and left. "Rise and shine, my love," he whispered to Knightwalker. She grumbled something, still half asleep. "I'll go on ahead. Get dressed."

Jellal wrapped a robe around that was nice enough to be worn alone. He glanced in a mirror just to make sure his hair was combed down, then place on that royal crown that showed his authority. As he hurried through sunlit halls, he wondered if the time of day was different between their dimensions as well. Did Earthland have longer days? If so, the difference was minor. Then he happened to pass a clock. No, it wasn't a time-shift between dimensions. He just really slept in! He cursed at his laziness. Whenever Erza was in the castle, his nights were always wild and his mornings started much later.

He entered one of the science research rooms where they had the best connection to the magic that linked them to Earthland. He saw Makarov's face, aged and full of wisdom, gentle yet commanding. If he was in another universe, this man would have made an intimidating king.

"Master Makarov," he greeted with a tip of his head.

"Did I catch you at a bad time?" the guild master asked.

"My sincerest apologies. I forgot the date."

"I take it you've had no success in finding Natsu."

Jellal felt a stab of guilt. Surely all of Fairy Tail was worried sick for their teammate. "We … almost had him. A trap was devised, we nearly caught the entire guild, but … Fairy Tail is infamous for being able to escape us. In the days of my father, they made quick getaways an art form. Now, without them knowing our intentions, we can't just walk up, knock on the door, and ask to speak to Natsu Dragneel. We have to snare them, and that is not easy."

Makarov nodded, although he looked concerned. "Well, I certainly can't complain. If anything, I should feel proud that your Fairy Tail is so skilled at escaping even you, Mystogan … Jellal," he corrected.

"I really do apologize," the young king said wholeheartedly. He saw Knightwalker step in just then, wearing light leather armor instead of her normal attire. "When they escaped, two members did not go with them. We're not positive, but there's a good chance that one of those was Natsu."

Makarov hummed at the news. "Could he be heading toward you?" he asked with a calculating, furrowed brow.

"That's my hope," King Jellal nodded with a light sigh. "It's possible he's beginning to realize what danger he's in and will come here to seek help. If Fairy Tail keeps running away … well, I can't imagine a man like Salamander Natsu liking the idea of running and hiding all the time. It's no surprise that he would eventually stop running, even if it meant leaving behind the others. We heard just yesterday that Igneel Dragion was arrested. We've been searching for him for almost two decades. Finding him at this time, after years on the run? I have a gut feeling that Natsu was involved. If that's true, then it means he's heading in this direction from Fairy Tail's last known hideout. Of course, we will continue to hunt down the guild, just in case I'm wrong."

"Two more weeks, then?"

"I truly am sorry, Master," Jellal said humbly. He bowed low.

"Sire!" Erza Knightwalker cried out. To see her king demean himself like this to some mere guild master…!

Makarov ordered, "Raise your head, King of Edolas, and know your place! We're asking a favor from you, so we have no right to accept your apologies. We should be the ones apologizing for inconveniencing you."

"Yes," Erza growled, but a wave of Jellal's hand held her back from saying more.

"Of course, we will be patient," Makarov assured him. "However, may I make one more request?"

"Anything at all, Master," the king said with a smile. Erza Knightwalker bristled that the king dared to call that tiny old man _master_.

Makarov glanced behind him briefly, and his voice dropped. "It seems Edo-Natsu needs to be convinced that he's wanted back in Edolas. We still don't know if he must be sent back in order for Natsu Dragneel to return home, but whether that's the case or not, I still want him to know he is loved by his nakama there. If you could please bring a few of his friends, that might help us to make things easier, either to send him back or to give him closure."

King Jellal chuckled with fondness. "Ah, yes. Fairy Tail is easy to love and hard to leave. I'll do it if I can, but capturing one Salamander will be hard enough. Ensnaring a few Fairies into our net may be too much to hope for."

"Don't harm them! Just see if they'll come willingly to ask him to return. I'll see you in two weeks, then, Mystogan. Good hunting!"

"May you also have luck with Fireball. Until next time." The scene flashed off. King Jellal stood still for a moment, his brow tense with many thoughts.

"Your highness?" Erza asked, already anticipating what he needed to order.

"Yes, keep searching for Fairy Tail. Also, set scouts to find Natsu Dragneel in case he is no longer with the guild. Scour the lands up to fifty leagues from Grimoire Heart, all the way in a direct path to Royal City. I want him rescued, _not_ captured, understood? He may be sick. He _will_ be dangerous, but let him know it's _me_ who wants to speak with him. At the very least, as an S-class member of Earthland's Fairy Tail, Natsu should respect my request."

"Which squad should I be on?" the red-headed captain asked, knowing this meant she would leave his side once more.

"You've always excelled at hunting Fairies. Can you make peace with them?"

Her eyes narrowed at such a request. "I can … try."

"No harm to them!" he insisted. "I heard about one of your snipers shooting a member of Fairy Tail. Never again, Captain Knightwalker!" he shouted, showing his anger. "A truce, bring in a few, with the promise that if they come to help us with the Natsu issue, the entire guild will be pardoned."

"What!" she bellowed.

"You heard me," he glowered. "Full pardon for their cooperation. Now go!"

She could have said many things to him, but her mouth stayed shut tightly. Erza spun around, her short red hair fluttering, and stomp away.

"If she didn't love me, I swear she'd murder me," Jellal said with an amused smile. "Send out scouts. Find Natsu Dragneel!"

A servant came up to him. "Sire, why so much hassle over one boy?"

"He's not just some brat," King Jellal said with a fond smile. "Natsu _is_ Fairy Tail. The day he leaves, they might as well disband the guild. That guild was my family for a time. That makes Natsu my adopted brother." He smiled gently at the servant. "What would you do if your brother's life was in danger?"

The servant bowed his head in understanding. "Anything in my power, sire."

"Precisely. We'll rescue him, and with any luck we'll send him home to Fairy Tail … where he belongs."

* * *

Makarov turned around and gazed at the busy guild. Not many actually watched the discussion as soon as it became apparent that Natsu was still stuck … _both_ Natsus. Most had given a sigh of defeat and sadness and drifted away to talk about how much they were missing that hot-headed pyromaniac. Happy slumped at a nearby table, and Makarov pet his head. He knew the poor Exceed was lost without his best friend. Makarov understood that the task he had given to King Jellal was not easy. They were trying to find a single person in the midst of an entire world. It was searching for a _moving_ needle in a haystack.

The three who stood around were Levy, Freed, and Laxus, since they had to power the device. Erza sat to the side looking grieved that Natsu was still in a strange world and potentially in danger. Laxus walked off muttering "He's strong; he'll be fine," with Freed following right at his heels.

Levy timidly walked up to the old man. "Master." Her fingers twisted together. "About Lucy."

"I know," he said, and he gazed over to the troublesome double.

Natsu Dragion sat alone. As soon as he heard that they needed two more weeks, he looked both relieved and troubled. He had walked off, not wanting to be of more trouble, and got himself a strong drink. Now he sat with Lisanna. His hunched shoulders and nervously shifting eyes showed that meek side that made him so completely different from Salamander. He did not join into conversations. He just sat and squeaked if anyone spoke directly to him.

The one person who was suspiciously _not_ present was Lucy. Makarov had heard the rumors: a mission that almost went bad, a fight between Fireball Natsu and Loke, harsh words were exchanged, threats made, and Lucy took off, leaving Edo-Natsu and his car. Now the Edolas boy was staying with Lisanna. Lucy had not been to the guild since then.

Makarov picked up Happy and held him like a toddler, petting his head in a fatherly way. He walked over to the doppelgänger, and he realized that Happy did not like to look at this man who was not _his_ Natsu. It was a troubling situation. Some people in the guild liked Dragion. Some could hardly stand him. Everyone wanted their own Natsu back, there was no questioning that. Natsu Dragneel was a vital element of the guild. He was family!

So what was this double who wanted to stay? Was he family now? Could they deal with Natsu _twins_? The thought made Makarov shudder.

"Well, Mister Dragion," Makarov began, and the pink-haired boy gave a yelp and cringed back timidly. "It seems you'll be with us two more weeks."

"I … I still want … t-to stay, if I can," he stuttered. "If I can't, I understand, but … but if I can … th-that's what I want."

"The decision will be yours, when the time comes," Makarov said. He pet Happy's head some more. "But realize, we're not leaving Natsu Dragneel over there."

"N-no! No, I get that," he said, but he cowered down. "It … it still isn't sure, right? I mean, m-maybe … maybe I can stay, and he can come back, too. I … wanna stay here, if I can. I can drive here!" he said with a bit more passion before sinking back down. "Can't drive in Edolas. There's nothing for me there. Nothing at all. I wanna stay where I can drive." He gripped his hands as if holding a steering wheel and whispered, "Driving is my life."

Makarov really did feel pity for the boy. "If it's at all possible, you'd be welcome."

Those green eyes lit up, and for a moment Makarov saw the smile of another little brat he had trained here in Earthland.

"So, where are you staying now?" the master asked.

"Oh! Um … L-Lisanna. She … I mean, we knew each other in Edolas, so … so I'm sleeping with her." He suddenly blushed. "I-I-I mean, not _sleeping_ with her, but … staying … in her place … with Mira and Elfman, too."

Makarov smiled in hopes of calming him down. "And Lucy?"

His eyes dropped with loneliness. "I dunno. She's not talking to me. I … really screwed up."

Makarov had hoped to separate the two to make the possibility that Fireball might need to leave a little less traumatic. Now, he felt bad for the two. His plan had worked, but it was probably cruel. "Perhaps you could try just being friends."

His frown deepened. "Maybe," he whispered. "Is everyone else sick of me?"

Lisanna suddenly leaned over and hugged him. "I'm not! I missed having you around, you crazy gear-head." She ruffled up his pink hair playfully.

Edo-Natsu smiled at her sheepishly, glad he still had one friend in this world. "If things really do end up awkward, I could always drive away. I'm used to being on the road more than in a guild. I … might do that. Just drive off for two weeks, if that's okay."

"Just be back before the next meeting," Makarov said sternly.

"Yeah, I'd come back with plenty of time to spare. Just … I dunno if I fit with the idea of being in a crowd like this."

Makarov patted his arm. "We all must live in the way that is most comfortable to us. Find your own path, Dragion."

He gazed toward the door. "My own path," he mused. He recalled the lyrics to his favorite song. "Drive me down that sunset road, down that road that leads to home." He sighed as he realized he had a lot to think about. "Um, Lisanna, sorry but … I'm gonna go for a drive."

"Are you leaving already?" she asked sadly.

"No, just gotta think things through. I think better in a car."

"Be careful," she pouted.

He grinned at her confidently. Then he left to where he had parked his car. He climbed in, started the engine, and instantly his confidence surged. He smiled to himself. He would be all right. Even if Lucy was mad at him, even if this meant they had broken up—he wasn't sure, to be honest—he would be okay. So long as he had his car and some gas to go, he would be fine.

Which was _why_ he did not ever want to return to Edolas. It was a prison of fears and anxieties. Earthland's magic granted him freedom and confidence.

He had fallen in love, not only with Lucy, but with this world.

* * *

Later that evening, Lucy sat at her window, gazing at the peacefulness of the river that flowed by her home. She waved to some of the boatmen who knew her, and she sighed as the setting sun cast the whole world in a pink hue. She glanced down at her guild mark. The rosy glow almost made her mark blend in with her skin. It had become such a deep part of her, a family after she lost everything.

Except, she was missing one family member.

Just as she was thinking sadly of how much she missed her crazy pyromaniac, an equally crazed driver pulled up in front of her house. She got up, knowing she would need to let him in, so by the time he knocked she was already at the door.

Edo-Natsu stood on the threshold timidly, but with her nearby he felt more confidence than he normally did outside of a car.

"I said some harsh things on that mission," he began, leaping right into it with the same abandonment as Natsu Dragneel often had. "I apologize. I'll apologize to Loke as well, if you want. I just … I sensed that those two were trying to drive us apart. I didn't like it, and I lost control. Instead, I was the one who put a roadblock between us. I never wanted that."

"Natsu," she said softly, glancing to the side, unsure how to reply.

"They were right, in a way. I have two more weeks, but … how many _more_ reprieves will I get?" he asked in dread. "I'm glad I can stay, but I see how sad everyone else is. You, too. I can't keep that Other-Me from you, no matter how much I love you. Still, at least for me," he said quietly, looking at her with cautious hope, "the risk of heartache in the future is worth the precious memories I can form in the present. I'd rather deal with a broken heart than with a million _what if_ regrets for doing nothing at all. I'll worry about trouble when I get to that part of the road, but my focus is the highway in front of me, not what's around the next bend."

He took her fingers and squeezed them.

"I don't want to stay away from you," he whispered. "Even if I eventually have to leave Earthland—and I really hope I don't need to—I still want this time in my life to belong to you. Maybe that's greedy or even foolish, but … but…" He shrugged sheepishly. "…no one ever said I was a smart man."

He felt her hands tighten on his, and he felt bolstered by that silent response.

"I love you, Lucy … so deeply, it scares me. Please … _please_ take me back," he begged.

She sighed and hugged him. "I forgive you," she whispered into his ear.

He let out a sigh of relief. Then Lucy pulled back, and her eyes landed on his lips. Slowly, filled with desire but held back by uncertainties, Edo-Natsu leaned forward, gazing at her mouth, remembering the softness. Gently, their lips touched in a tender kiss of reconciliation. It was just a peck. That was all for now.

"Tomorrow," she decided, "I'll bring out Loke. You have to apologize to him as well," she said firmly in demand.

"I will," he nodded.

"And to Gray!"

Edo-Natsu smiled lightly. "I already did. No offense, but Gray Surge was my best friend in Edolas. I went to Gray's house first after I calmed down. He's cool. We made up and shared a drink. I came second to you because … well, I wasn't sure what to say to you. I hurt you far worse. I needed to ask Gray for some advice."

"Fairy Tail is good at forgiving," she smiled.

"Yeah, I've noticed," he chuckled. "I'm really glad for that. I tend to do a lot of stupid stuff when I'm in my car."

Lucy slid a hand up his arm. "I don't mind when we do stupid things."

His mouth dropped in shock, and he blinked bewilderedly as his brain insisted she could not mean what he hoped she meant. "You … y-y-you didn't … um … _mind_?"

"Of course not," she chuckled. "Oh! I … I don't mean I want to. Well, not right now. I mean, I don't _not_ want to," she clarified, feeling her cheeks burning up, "but I'm not saying … um…" She cut off as she felt just as awkward as him. "We … we can stay around here tonight. Maybe watch movies, or just go out for ice cream, or … or I can just see you tomorrow morning if you don't want to stay here."

"N-No!" he cried out. "I mean, if you … um … if you didn't mind. I … I liked … sleeping with you. I mean," he cringed, "sleeping here! Here! In your place. Not … not _with you_ precisely, or … well I did, but I don't mean … um … I'm gonna shut up right now," he sighed in defeat.

Lucy bit on her lower lip to hold back her laughter. That adorable bashfulness … she missed him! "I want you back," she said quietly.

His eyes turned up, first in shock, then instantly in joy. Impulsively, he wrapped his arms around her. She was way too cute! Only his Heartfilia girl could look so adorable. In a soft and passionate voice, he told her, "Tonight, I want to sit under the stars with you, gaze at them from inside the car. We can see where things go from there."

With her heart racing, she nodded her head.

He hugged her and kissed the top of her head. As she snuggled into his chest, he glanced around. On Lucy's writing desk, there was a picture of the team: Erza, Gray, Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, and Happy. He looked at how the Fire Dragon Slayer had his arm wrapped around Lucy as he laughed and had fire in his mouth.

"I want Natsu Dragneel to come home," he said decisively. "You'll always be so sad without him here. You miss him, right?"

"Yes," she whispered. "A lot. He's destructive and annoying at times, but … Natsu … he's…"

"He's part of your life, a member of your family," Fireball said with understanding. "Gray too, and even Loke. I'll work on tolerating Loke," he muttered. "They're all special to you, a part of your heart, and I want all those pieces of your heart to be together." He caressed her cheek and gazed at her warmly. "I want to see you smile with absolutely no hint of loneliness."

Tears came to her eyes. "Natsu!" she sighed.

He bopped her on the nose. "But don't flirt with him. I'd hate to get jealous over another _Me_."

She laughed and shook her head. "You're the one I fell for."

He kissed her gently, savoring the softness of her lips and the warmth of the breath tickling him from her nostrils. He stroked her long hair and inhaled her scent.

"Let's take that drive," he said. Holding her hand firmly, he led Lucy out of her apartment and to the waiting car.

**End of Chapter 30**


	31. The Spider's Bite

It was unseasonably hot in the Edolas city of Lavenderville. A lady walked through the streets with a sway to her hips. A wide, stylish hat obscured her eyes, but still the men paused to stare at this stranger. The city was big enough so that no one knew everyone. She stood out, just the graceful way she walked and the curves that highlighted her femininity, but no one stopped her, no one went up to her, they just stared, enamored, caught in her web without her even intentionally weaving it.

Wendy had always been that way. She counted it as a curse and a blessing, this ability to ensnare men, almost like magic. This time, all the attention was utterly unwanted. She had hoped to hide after fleeing Fairy Tail. If anyone noticed her, she could be arrested.

Sometimes, the best way to hide was to stand out so much, people stared at something _other_ than her face. So the hat hid her face, and her dress … well, it did not leave much for the imagination. Her cleavage showed as much as she legally could without baring all. Her skirt was long, but it clung so tightly that she did not need to expose anything at all. She made sure her distinct purple hair was up and her guild mark was hidden, though. She did not want that exposed at all.

She paused and looked around. Tracking Natsu was harder than she thought. A young man with pink hair and wearing a scarf in summer? Why had no one heard of him? How had he vanished?

Was he okay? Was he alive?

She refused to give up hope. She had severed herself from the guild. That was usually suicide. Once separated, few people managed to find their way back. She was taking a huge chance, all on the hope of finding a man who did not love her, thought little of her, had been angry with her, a man who did not even belong in this world.

Why was she taking such a risk?

She had ensnared plenty of men. Finding herself ensnared was terrifying.

She paused to let a tanchimo-drawn carriage by. She had been to Lavenderville once, before the magic was lost. It had been lively with cars backed up in traffic, lights flashing in the shops, and children with their magical toys. It was different now. Tanchimos had replaced the cars. Some people had solar lights, but many relied on candles and lamps. The toys were simple: rubber balls, little wooden dolls, handcrafted since the machines no longer worked.

Many of the younger children had been born in a world devoid of magic. After merely seven years, it was a myth, a legend told by their parents … a fairy tale.

A group of boys raced past her laughing and playing a game called _Demon-Lord_ , where one boy used his hands to make devil horns on his head and roared like a dragon as he chased others. If he touched a player with his elbows—the hands had to stay as horns—then that person _lost all magic_ and had to freeze. The game went on until everyone was frozen, or until the very first person to get tagged, who became _The Prince_ , was tagged again by another player, freed from his frozen state, and if _he_ tagged the Demon-Lord, the game was over and the Demon-Lord was defeated by The Prince.

Wendy watched them playing and smiled, remembering that battle. She had been there. She had seen Natsu's confrontation with King Jellal, just a long-lost prince back then. What guts that took! And what an impact it had on everyone. Seven years later, it was a game for children, a villain that would go down in history, turn into legends, and eventually fade into mere myth. _The Great Demon-Lord Dragneel._

Wendy realized that the new generation would grow up free of the worries they used to have, dread about magic depletion, and people like Fairy Tail turning to crime just to get some scarce lacrima crystals. The world was no longer as sophisticated as it once had been, but they survived. Fairy Tail missed the worst of the transition due to that freak accident, seven years lost. Damn Levy and her inventions! By the time they returned, Edolas had gotten over the panic, the riots, the revolts, and things were returning to something like peace.

Edolas survived. So would she. She had lost her guild, her world had lost its power, yet both would evolve and survive.

For now, she had a mission, one not given to her by the guild, but her own personal quest: to find Natsu and help him in any way she could. It seemed _The Great Demon-Lord Dragneel_ was as devilish at disappearing as he had been years ago. This was her sixth city after catching wind of him from people at a bar called Grimoire Heart. Either she missed something, or he was much faster at traveling than she had anticipated for a guy not used to tanchimos.

Wendy suddenly paused and slipped into a café just as two guards walked by. She cringed as she saw the insignia on their uniform. These were King Jellal's own men, and they seemed to be searching for someone. Once they passed, she slipped back out. She knew she should go the opposite way, but something caught her attention, just one phrase:

"… pink-haired …"

She twirled back around to them in horror. Had Natsu been caught? Despite every instinct to flee before the bird ate the spider, she followed, keeping back, but the crowd allowed her to get close enough to hear them.

"He's to be taken straight to the king. Poor bastard. Makes me wonder what he did if the king wants to deal with him personally."

"Probably nothing illegal. We're not supposed to hurt him. Maybe he's a rogue scientist, like that crazy Fairy Tail girl a while back. Levy something-or-other. I heard she made off with a bunch of the king's research and vanished for seven years, then suddenly came back, her whole guild, not a day older."

"An accomplice? They said his name's Natsu, right? I've heard that name before. The captain mentioned it back in her Fairy-hunting days."

"So both are from Fairy Tail? If he's around here, he must've ran away."

"Hah! Smart move for him, getting away from those thieves and murderers."

Wendy's eyes narrowed. To herself, she muttered, "We killed no one who didn't deserve it."

"Maybe he's a spy with info for the king. In any case, we gotta find him. I heard the reward includes a promotion to lieutenant."

"Seriously? I wasn't told that. Well, pink hair … he should be easy to spot."

"Dammit," Wendy hissed. "Well, that means he hasn't been caught yet."

She quickened her step and tapped one of the guards on the shoulder. Both turned around. She kept her head lowered just enough for the wide hat to hide her eyes. It was hardly necessary, since their gaze instantly went down to the revealing dress with that ample cleavage. She smiled that her plan had worked. A beautifully designed web could attract flies so that they don't notice the spider.

"Pardon me, I'm new here and lost. Can you soldiers help me?"

The younger one grinned eagerly. "Absolutely!"

"We're in a hurry, though," the older one warned.

"Oh, it's not a problem. I have a map, but I'm not sure where I am right now. I got all turned around," she laughed blithely.

"Bring it out. We'll help however we can."

"Sure, but … well, this is embarrassing, but the map is … hidden." She pointed to her cleavage. "I didn't want it to get stolen. I'll be just a moment." She began to turn into a shadowy, dank alley.

"Whoa, a lady like you shouldn't walk into an alley like that so easily in big cities," the younger soldier warned. "It's dangerous. Vagrants and thieves hide in alleys. You could get hurt."

"Really? I'm from the west, we didn't have cities like this. I guess I could do this in public, but something might show." She began to reach between her breasts.

"No, no, not in public view," the older one said nervously, gently pulling her hand back. He guided her into the alley. "It seems to be empty here. Let's just be quick about this."

"Would you two guard me? Oh, but don't look!"

"Of course!" the younger one grinned, but his eyes were all on her breasts.

They followed her into the alley. She led them in a ways, then smiled sweetly.

"Turn around, no peeping," she said, reaching down into her dress.

"Oh! Sorry, right," they muttered, turning around modestly.

She reached into her cleavage, pulled out a thin baton, and pressed it against the back of the neck of one soldier. It zapped out a bolt of electricity, and he collapsed unconscious. The second man turned around in surprise, but before he could shout Wendy pressed the baton into his chest. His body twitched from the shock, and then he too collapsed.

"Soldiers are so easy," she smirked, tucking the baton back into her dress. She began to rummage through their clothes. Out of habit, she took all of their money, their weapons, a pocket watch, but then she saw what she was seeking: warrants for arrest. She glanced them over, only enough to see that Natsu's name and description were on them, as well as a drawn picture that was close enough so people would recognize him. She did not bother to read the rest.

She tucked the papers into her dress and rushed away. The soldiers would be unconscious for two hours, but someone might find them before that. She had to scour the city for Natsu, and if he was not here, she needed to get out of town quickly. She hurried through the streets, around corners, and asked a few locals, giving his description. Then finally one person pointed her in the direction of the city's main park.

She stepped into the expanse of grass, trees, and playgrounds to see two local police nudging a man on a bench.

"No sleeping here, buddy. Vagrants aren't appreciated in this city. Move along or we'll take you to the station."

As the sleeping man shifted, his hood moved, and Wendy saw pink hair and a hint of white around his neck. She rushed forward.

"Wait!" she cried out. "That's my … my brother!"

The policemen looked back at her. "This babbling idiot is your brother? Sorry, lady, but we were called because people said he was talking nonsense, acting violent, but then he collapsed, as you can see."

"Yes, he's my mentally retarded little brother who got lost a week ago. Goodness, he looks awful," she said, feigning lament. "Just look at you, brother!" she said to Natsu. "You look like a bum." She beamed her sweetest smile at the policemen. "You gentlemen are so wonderful for finding him. I've been looking everywhere. Our mother is so worried since … well, his mind isn't all there, you know. It's a burden we bear since we love him so much."

Natsu roused himself and looked up at her. "Wendy?" he asked weakly.

"It's me, you silly little brother. I'm here to take you home."

"No!" he said, pulling away but still dizzy. "Can't go back there. Lucy, she'll hit me."

"Not the asylum. I'm taking you somewhere safe." She grinned awkwardly to the policemen. "He was in a bad place, abusive caretakers. Mental institutes just aren't what they used to be before the magic vanished."

"Nothing's like it used to be," one of the cops agreed. "Do you need some help with him?"

"No, I'm used to dealing with him." She half-covered her mouth and whispered, "He thinks all cops are dragons."

"Dragon?" Natsu shouted, bolting up on the bench and looking around frantically.

"Please, before he fully wakes up and sees you," she begged with an anguished look.

"Well, we don't want him turning violent again." One of the policemen tipped his hat to her. "If you need help, Lavenderville police are here to assist."

She surreptitiously slipped a ring onto her finger. Then she grabbed one man by the arm, and he flinched slightly. "You're such a sweet man," she said in her sexiest voice. She pulled her hand back, then she shook the hand of the other officer, and he also winced a little. "You two chased the vagrant away. You saw nothing else amiss. You met no one else." Her hand pulled away, and both men had blank expressions. She gazed coldly at them as they passively listened. "You will patrol the park for the next hour just to be certain that all is safe. Then you will return to your station and let them know that the vagrant left the city. If you see two royal guards, you will tell them about a pink-haired vagrant who left town. You will tell no one about me. Do you understand?"

"Yes," both answered in hollow tones.

"Good. On your way, now. Patrol the park perimeters."

Both men drifted off slowly. Wendy sighed and stowed the ring away, being sure not to touch the sharp point on one end. It was yet another one of her tools, the poison of the Spider. She sat beside Natsu, who had begun to drift off to sleep again.

"I've been searching for you," she said in anguish.

"Not going back," he muttered.

"Well, you're not going anywhere like this! Are you drunk? You reek of booze and body odor. When was your last shower?"

"Back in the guild," he mumbled, ready to collapse onto her shoulder.

"Nope." She shoved him back upright. "We need to get you off the streets and preferably into a hot bathtub. Can you walk?"

"I can ride," he said. "Dunno about walk."

She looked around, and she saw that wild tanchimo Yusō grazing on the grass. She frowned and slowly approached him. He looked up and began shaking his head back and forth.

"Easy, easy. Natsu needs you. I won't ride you, but he needs a friend to carry him. Will you help?"

Yusō went with her, and she carefully got Natsu up into the saddle. Yusō walked slowly, seemingly more gentle than she had ever seen him walk. Whenever Natsu began to fall to the side, Yusō stopped until Wendy could push him upright again.

She went to a nearby hotel, one that was big enough so the concierge likely would not remember them or ask questions. She got a room with two beds and a stall in the stables for Yusō. Then she helped Natsu to walk to their room.

He collapsed onto a bed, and she finally pulled her hat off, shaking out her hair.

"Sleep it off, then clean up. I don't know how long we can safely stay here. The royal guards are searching for us."

Natsu looked at her with one eye open. "You too?"

"Well, they are now," she muttered. "We'll need to stay indoors for a few days. They should move on after that. I'll make a supply run tonight, get enough food to last a few days. This place doesn't have a stove, just a hot water kettle, so it'll be instant ramen and granola bars for a while."

"That's more than I've been eating for some time now," Natsu admitted. "Gonna sleep."

She sat by his bed and stroked back his hair. "Rest. Tell me all about your adventure tonight."

Natsu stared ahead grimly. "I don't want to think about it," he said in an angry tone. Then his eyes closed, and he fell asleep right away.

Wendy looked down at him in concern. What had happened to him out there on the road? Why was he drunk? Had something bad happened? He looked so mad just now. She ran her fingers through his hair some more.

"Well, at least I found you," she whispered. She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "You're safe. The Spider will protect the Dragon this time."

**End of Chapter 31**


	32. Summer Sky

Natsu stepped out of the shower, cleaned up and his head clear from the alcohol. He already regretted succumbing to his depression and getting drunk. He rarely did that back home. He would have worked through his emotions by rigorously training, setting things on fire, or challenging Gray to a fight. In Edolas, he could not even light a candle anymore, and the last fight he was in led to the deaths of Edolas' versions of Precht and Zancrow.

It was dark outside, so very dark. This world without magic had few lights, just lamps, little flickers of fire here and there. Even within this hotel room, the shadows wavered from two lamps and a candle.

The room was empty, but he could smell Edo-Wendy's scent. She had mentioned about going off to find food. Natsu really could use some meat, but for now he sat by the candle. He inhaled, and the flame grew. He sipped the fire, feeling the heat fill his mouth, slide down his throat, and warm his belly.

Just then, the door opened and Wendy strode in. She saw him eating the flames and shook her head. "If I knew you could live off a simple candle, I wouldn't have gotten us so much food," she said, dragging in a large canvas bag.

"I need real food, too," he explained. "The fire … well, normally it gives me strength, a boost of energy."

"And now?" she asked.

He frowned at the flame. "Not really."

She set the massive sack down and began to take things out, placing them on a desk in the room. "Let's hope ramen is enough. I got some sardines, as well as any canned meat and preserved fruit I could find. Some lettuce for salads, a few oranges and apples, too. It's nice to mix healthy stuff with the crap. Basically, I grabbed anything that doesn't have to be chilled."

Rather than the revealing gown from earlier, Wendy wore a clingy suit of all black. It reminded Natsu of the Jiggle Butt Gang. Wearing something like that, he could hardly help but take in all of her curves. No matter how much he tried to tell himself this was Wendy, the girl he cared for like a little sister, that mature body said otherwise.

"That's a lot of food," he said as she lined up canned meats.

"If you're going to rob a grocery story, you grab all you can."

"Wait, you _robbed_ a place?" he shouted.

She spun around and slapped a hand over his mouth. "Will you shut up?" she hissed. "Sheesh! We're wanted by the royal guards. You don't need to alert half the city."

"We have money," he scolded. "You didn't need to steal."

"If I went during open hours, people would see me. I'm trying to stay as inconspicuous as possible." She glared at him. "Don't tell me you've never stolen something to survive."

Natsu folded his arms and pouted. "Lucy says I steal her food, but I just eat it."

"And we're just eating this food. That's surviving, and right now we need to keep on living day by day. That means _not getting caught_. Now, get some hot water. There's a boiler fountain down the hall."

Natsu grumbled as he snatched up the water kettle. "I wish I could just use my fire to heat the water."

"The last time you used magic, you caused an edoquake. No magic from you."

"I don't think I can anymore, anyway," he frowned. He took the kettle and left the room.

Wendy sighed as she began to sort through what she had taken. Without magic, they had no refrigeration, no heating, and since this hotel had no kitchens there was not even a wood-burning stove. It had been built in the days of magic with all of its opulent conveniences, so there were no fireplaces to warm the room and no fans to cool the summer heat. The boiler was their only means of hot drinking water.

"I miss the old days," she lamented to herself.

Natsu returned with the kettle steaming. Wendy pulled out two instant ramen bowls and poured the water in. She also had tea bags and some sugar. They awkwardly waited for the ramen to cook and tea to brew.

"So," she said after a long silence, "did you meet with any adventures out there?"

Natsu's eyes tensed up. "Nothing I want to talk about."

There went civil conversation! "I had a close call in a small town called Rosewood. A guy the guild swindled some years back recognized me. Luckily, he figured I should be much older—the seven year gap, you know—so I managed to convince him that Wendy was my older sister. It worked, and he even took pity on me, offered me lunch. Of course, I think he was trying to proposition me."

"Huh? Proposition for what?"

She looked at him in surprise. "For sex, of course. Some girls will put out for the right amount of money."

Natsu blushed. "Oh. I didn't know you could do that."

"Really? They don't have prostitutes in Earthland."

"I dunno," he muttered. "I suppose we do, since I know what that is. I've never … um … _propositioned_ someone like that."

"Have you _ever_ had sex?" she asked curiously.

"No," he said bluntly.

"Well, aren't you just a little angel," she teased. "I don't give myself for money." She eyed Natsu up and down. "I hand-pick my prey."

He still stared ahead, unaware of what she meant. Wendy sighed, knowing he was too innocent for something that subtle.

"So, you didn't have anything interesting happen? Didn't meet a familiar face, another double from your world—"

Natsu shouted over her, "I said I don't want to talk about it!"

She held her hands up. "Whoa, okay. Sorry." She watched him warily as Natsu slumped back into depression. "You can tell me about it," she offered warily. "I know this world is opposite from yours. Enemies are friendly, old friends are the bad guys. Someone you dearly love is probably the worst person in the world."

"Wendy," he snapped, and those narrow eyes glared at her. He shook his head, and her mouth closed obediently. "Sorry," he muttered. "I'd rather forget about what happened."

"Sure. Mind if I change clothes?" She tugged on the neckline of the spandex suit. "This is getting a little tight."

"Nah, it's fine. Where'd you get the outfit? It's familiar."

She rose and walked over to a changing screen with a sway to her hips. "Believe it or not, I was a member of a notorious bandit gang before joining Fairy Tail."

"The Jiggle Butt Gang?"

"Wha-? No." She grimaced in distaste from the perverted name, and then she slipped behind the folding screen. "We were the Bouncing Bosom Bandits. Gocche, Karen, and Marcy were some truly evil bitches," she said with a laugh. "This was their outfit. If anyone saw me robbing that store, they would assume it was the Triple-B."

"Those three are _women_ here?" Natsu gawked. "I … can't imagine it. I don't think I want to imagine it. Oh God, now I'm imagining it," he grimaced. "It's nightmarish!"

"Well, they weren't the prettiest women, but Gocche was rather … well-endowed!"

Natsu covered his eyes. "Oh gross! I can't un-see it! I'm gonna go blind from my own imagination."

Wendy giggled at his weirdness as she pulled on a dress. "So you have someone like the Triple-B back in Earthland?"

"We have the Jiggle Butt Gang. They're guys. Weird guys. Weird and gassy. They attack through farts."

She jolted over with a grimace. "Eww! That's seriously messed up. I thought Earthland was a really cool place, but … eww! You can _keep_ them."

Finally, she stepped out from the changing screen. She wore a simple but cute dress with a floral print, something Natsu had never seen her wear before. He wondered if she stole the outfit, too. She walked over to the tea. It was brewed, and she stirred in some sugar while humming a pleasant tune.

"What song is that?" he asked. "It's familiar."

"Hmm? Oh, just something our Natsu used to sing all the time. _Drive Me Down That Sunset Road._ "

"It was called something else. _Tell Me Where the Magic Grows_. I liked that song as a kid."

"Sing it," she encouraged.

He laughed awkwardly. "Nah, I can't sing."

"I bet you can. Go on!" She handed Natsu a steaming mug and sat beside him, looking eager.

Natsu wavered, but there was nothing else to do. Besides, after hearing her hum, the song was stuck in his head. He remembered Igneel used to sing that song to him to put him to sleep.

_Tell me where the magic grows,_  
_Where ice burned and fire froze._  
_Tell me where, for no one knows._  
_Is it near, do you suppose?_

_Tell me where, for no one knows._  
_Is it here, deep in my heart?_  
_Tell me where the magic grows,_  
_Before we two have to part._

_Whenever you are feeling low,_  
_Feeling weak, like you can't grow,_  
_The magic burns deep inside,_  
_So feel it build, grab tight and ride._

_Burn it fast and freeze it slow_  
_Fight for friends and be rock strong,_  
_Magic's everywhere you look._  
_In magic's where you belong!_

_Tell me where the magic grows,_  
_Where stars sank and oceans rose._  
_I'll tell you now, for we all know._  
_Deep in your soul, the magic grows.  
_

"That's a beautiful song," Wendy said in awe. "Although you really can't sing."

Natsu folded his arms and looked away petulantly, which made Wendy laugh.

He picked up his cup of ramen and yanked forward some chopsticks. It smelled good, and he suddenly realized how starving he was. He shoveled a bunch of noodles into his mouth and slurped moistly. Wendy daintily split her chopsticks, said a quick prayer over the food, and ate only a little before pulling back in pain. Her cup needed to cool down some more. It surprised her that Natsu could dig into the meal with the cup still steaming, but she supposed that a man who ate flames and breathed fire thought little about some hot water.

"I miss magic," she said wistfully as she looked at the noodles in their hot water. "We never used it as a kid with the anthro-spiders. I didn't know about magic at all until I came here. I never really used it that much myself, but I guess it's the little things, things we didn't even think about that were powered by magic. Refrigeration," she laughed softly, looking down at her ramen. "Heating and cooling. Lights. All the gadgets in the kitchen. We didn't even think about how flashlights worked until the lacrimas in them vanished. People in hospitals on life support died, and people who needed treatments or surgeries that required lacrima-powered devices all suffered gravely."

"I never even thought about that," Natsu said, feeling guilty. It was not his idea to get rid of the magic in Edolas, but he had fought in that war. He agreed with Mystogan's solution, so it was partly his responsibility. At that time, Natsu was just thinking about getting Fairy Tail back to Earthland. He never thought about how the sudden loss of all magic affected Edolas as a whole.

"I wish magic grew in my soul like it does for wizards," she sighed, leaning back and staring out the window. "I wish I could do miraculous things like you. Watching you guys fight that day was like seeing legends come to life. You're already famous: _The Great Demon-Lord Dragneel_."

"Oh, that," Natsu blushed. "I kinda came up with that spur-of-the-moment."

"People tell stories about you, about all of you: the wizards from another world," she exclaimed, knowing by heart those romanticized tales. Then she looked down with a pensive expression. "No one will tell stories about me," she said humbly yet sadly. "I don't have magic or any interesting skills."

"Are you kidding?" Natsu exclaimed with his mouth full. "You were raised by _spiders_!" His arms swung out in emphasis so wildly, ramen juice flew from his chopsticks.

She gazed at him as if he was mad. "That makes me creepy."

"That makes you really _cool_ ," he exclaimed. "You're like me in a way. I was raised by a dragon; you were raised by spiders. We've both got interesting childhoods."

"Maybe interesting, but not magical."

"You don't need real magic to have a magical childhood, just someone who really loves you."

"Heh! That sounds sweet," she said with an awkward smile, "but I think I'd still like to be a wizard and have magic in my soul."

"It doesn't grow there, though," Natsu said with a suddenly dark expression. "The song's wrong. If magic grew in my soul, I'd still have some. I wouldn't be how I am. I don't know where the magic grows, but it sure as hell isn't inside _me_."

"Natsu," she sighed.

Instead of saying more, Natsu pulled his cup of ramen closer and ate while brooding. Wendy sighed and picked up her ramen cup. Although she had to blow on it, it still burned her tongue, while Natsu simply gulped it, unaware of how hot the water was. They sat at a table by the window and quietly ate.

Natsu finally looked up. "I never did thank you for finding me and getting me away from those policemen. I could have been caught."

"It's nothing," she shrugged. "We're in this together, two fugitives from Fairy Tail. We won't get any help from the guild anymore. They're long gone. All we have—" She smiled optimistically to him. "—is each other. We need to work together to survive this."

He looked down sadly. "Survive," he whispered contemplatively. "How far are we from Royal City?"

She jolted at the name of the capitol. "You can't go there! They're hunting for you."

Natsu met her eyes. "Hunting? For me, or for Other-Me?"

"I don't know, but I overheard royal guards saying that the king is hunting _Natsu_. That can't be good."

"Or maybe it is," he shouted. "Maybe Mystogan knows it's _me_. That one group who attacked Fairy Tail knew I was a magic user. He must have heard rumors, too."

"Don't you remember what his father did to you?" she argued. "He tried to siphon your magic out. In a world like this, your magic is the most precious thing in existence. _Of course_ the king would want that resource!"

"Mystogan's not like that."

"The man you knew as Mystogan was a lie! He is King Jellal, and although they call him merciful, he also banished his own father, led brutal troops during the riots after the magic vanished, sent Erza after Fairy Tail … my God, Cana was _shot_ by those royal guard bastards! She might be dead."

"He's my last hope," Natsu grumbled.

"It's suicide."

He furiously lashed out, "I'm gonna _die_ anyway!"

Wendy gasped and shook her head. "Don't say that."

"I'm out of magic. I told you, magic doesn't grow in my soul, and a wizard will die when they completely run out. In the meantime, my body is doing something, and I don't know what. Those earthquakes…"

"Edoquakes," she corrected.

"They've been happening more. One happened just yesterday. I wasn't even trying to do magic, but the ground around me … it just split apart. Yusō almost fell in. I was lucky that I wasn't near any towns. I'm a danger to this world," Natsu said in anguish. "Your life is in danger just being around me."

"I'll take my chances," she said stubbornly. "I'm not leaving you. I'm a member of Fairy Tail, and we _don't_ abandon our friends."

Natsu stared at her in awe. Slowly, he shook his head. "Why are _you_ good?"

"I'm not a good girl," she smirked. "I'm venomous."

His brow tensed in anger. "You don't kill people and laugh about it."

She flinched at the idea. "Who the hell did you meet on the road?"

Natsu got up and walked out onto the balcony. Wendy followed him in concern. The night was warm, the summer sky clear with countless stars spangling the heavens. Natsu looked up at the stars and the many moons.

"Even the sky is different here," he said softly. "Nothing is the same. Nothing's familiar."

She began to reach to his shoulder, but she hesitated and held back. "Natsu? Really, what happened to you? You're not acting like yourself at all."

His hand tensed around the balcony railing until the iron creaked. "I met my dad," he sneered. "Or this world's version of him."

"Igneel Dragion?" she breathing in horror. "Oh no. Natsu." Now she did hold him around the shoulders. "You're lucky to be alive."

"He was … horrible!" he sneered with a shiver. "He killed people. He tried to kill me. I … had to take him down."

"You killed him?"

"No. I won't stoop to his level." Natsu stared up at the moons. "My Igneel … he loved humans more than any other dragon. He taught me so much. He _loved_ me. Even when I was a brat, he never gave up on me. Even when humans tried to hunt him, he never killed them. He wanted to help all humanity." Natsu's head dropped. "That's all he ever wanted."

"He sounds like a great dad," she smiled dolefully.

"Yeah," Natsu smiled with distant memories. "But the guy I met, he was _nothing_ like Igneel. He didn't even look the same."

"Well, we don't have dragons here," she explained.

"He was poisoning whole towns with gas."

"I've heard of that happening," Wendy whispered in horror. "Oh God, that was his doing?"

"He killed someone who was just trying to take back something that was stolen, as well as coldly murdered two people who cared for me. He just … _laughed_. That wasn't Igneel!" His eyes began to tear up. "I wanted it to be him … so badly. I miss him so much!"

She held him consolingly and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to meet him, of all people. The guild has been hiding the whereabouts of that man from Natsu Dragion for years precisely because no one can trust Igneel. He's dangerous, and Natsu— _our_ Natsu—would probably kill that bastard. None of us wanted him to kill his own father."

"I'd hardly blame him," Natsu admitted angrily. "You're right. The person you love the most, the kindest person in the world, the father you love more than any other person in existence … here, he's the worst person imaginable." He sneered at the sky. "I hate this world. I wanna go home!"

"It's not all bad," she offered timorously.

He turned to face her. It was Wendy, but not Wendy, not with that adult face and shapely body. "That's why I'm wondering why you're so good. Wendy Marvell is a sweetheart, so kind and caring to everyone, willing to risk her life for a friend. You're exactly the same way, and I can't figure out why you're not a total jerk like Igneel was, or a sadistic bitch like Lucy, or … or poisonous!"

"I'm poison to the wrong people," she smirked, "and to the right ones, this spider can be a big help." Her fingers trailed up his arm. "I like you, so I'm nice to you. You'd probably hate me if you saw how much of a bad girl I can be."

"I couldn't hate you, no more than I can hate Lucy Ashley."

" _Can't hate_ , but that's about it, right?" she asked with a pout.

Natsu cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing," she smiled placidly. "I'm glad you don't hate me."

"You're cool! And you're really sweet."

Wendy laughed and shook her head while her cheeks blushed. "That's … not really how people describe me. You don't know the real me."

"Maybe not. I don't even know your last name."

She looked up at him, realizing he was right. Although they shared a first name, she and Earth-Wendy had different last names. "Aranya. Wendy Aranya."

"That's a pretty name."

She felt embarrassed to hear him compliment her like that. "It just means spider. It was the name of our tribe, back with Robaul and the anthro-spiders. I kept it as a last name after leaving them."

"My Wendy is terrified of spiders," chuckled Natsu. "Once, I stuck a spider in her and Lucy's tent. It was hilarious to watch those two freak out."

"Wanna know a secret?" she grinned with a devious chuckle. "Lucy Ashley is terrified of spiders. It's one of the reasons we don't get along. I put cobwebs all over her bedroom whenever she pisses me off."

Natsu laughed as he tried to imagine the tough blonde squealing from getting tangled in spiderwebs. She might actually look like his Lucy as she flailed about.

Remembering Lucy Heartfilia pained his heart. He missed his friends back in Earthland.

He pulled himself out of the loneliness and smiled over to Edo-Wendy. "Tell me about growing up with the anthro-spiders."

She looked amazed that he was interested in a race most Edolas humans thought were disgusting beasts that were too hideous to even mention. His caring interest made her smile and blush.

"O-okay."

Bashfulness was an emotion Wendy was not used to experiencing. She was always cool, confident, devious, even cruel in her scheming. Now, she felt like a child just discovering love. Her heart pounded fast under his poignant gaze, and her cheek flushed hot. She could not look directly at him, so she turned her gaze up to the dark summer sky, to the stars and moons and a shooting star streaking through the heavenly expanse. She thought back to childhood, a time before she lost her innocence, back when she was probably more like the little Wendy this Earthland wizard knew.

Was it possible to have a second chance, to clear away the mess of a horrible past and be reborn fresh, innocent, and anew?

Around Natsu Dragneel, she felt like anything was possible. He was magical! Even if he thought magic did not grow in his soul, she knew at least a little spark of it lived there, burning, warming her, and setting the cobwebs of her past ablaze. Around him, she felt free. Rather than those dark corners where spiders liked to hide, her spirit was lifted into the heavens to soar above the shadows.

Around Natsu, she truly felt like a Sky Maiden.

She only wished that she believed they could stay together, just like this, forever. This was not his home, though. Just like in the song, she realized something:

_In magic's where you belong!_

**End of Chapter 32**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _The Bouncing Bosom Bandits are Edolas' version of the Jiggle Butt Gang. In the Fairy Tail anime, the individual members are unnamed, but they are based on Hiro Mashima's "Rave Master," where their names are Gocche, Kalen, and Marco, so in Edolas they are Gocche, Karen, and Marcy._
> 
> _In Chapter 4, it was mentioned that the song Edo-Natsu frequently sings, "Drive Me Down That Sunset Road," is the same tune as an Earthland song called "Tell Me Where the Magic Grows." (FYI: both songs are written by me.) Many readers have created renditions of how they imagine "Sunset Road" sounds, some of them truly amazing. (Although I have a tune in my head already, my voice is not great...that's why I play trombone, NOT singing. One day I'll write out the music). Links to the different variations are on my profile page. I encourage anyone to make their own versions. I adore hearing the many interpretations of this song._
> 
> _I've done this with other fanfics and people like it. If you want to hear the recording I make to create the dialogue (including my awful singing) I posted it online, mostly because I want to listen to the song and work out the sheet music one of these days._
> 
> _<http://chirb.it/B4FxCG>_


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